Page 96 of In Love and Revenge

Something in his tone has me listening more carefully. ‘And?’ I encourage.

‘And she was always this bright, happy young woman. She lit up every room she walked into. And now she’s visiting me here. I see the way it affects her. My daughter’s everything to me. It’s always been just me and her. You think I wanted to get locked up in here? Away from her?’

‘I think you didn’t want to get caught,’ I answer.

He snorts, turning away, then asks, ‘How’s Dove?’

‘Leave my sister out of this,’ I say with a deathly calm to my voice.

‘She’s been a good friend to Rory,’ he continues. ‘She’s the only one who’s stuck by her through all this. The only one who believes I’m innocent.’

‘My sister makes questionable decisions at times,’ I reply, forcing my arse to stay in the cheap plastic chair so I don’t launch myself at the bastard and drive my fist into his face.

‘You wouldn’t want anything to happen to her? Would you?’

He doesn’t see me coming. The coffee flies to the floor and I’m fisting the collar of his shirt before he can even blink.

‘Are you threatening me?’ I hiss.

He doesn’t look worried. In fact, the arsehole looks pleased, like this is exactly the reaction he wanted.

A guard rushes over, but George waves them away. ‘We’re fine. Just a misunderstanding.’

The burly guard eyes me in warning, and I let go of George’s shirt and slowly lower back into my seat.

‘Don’t bloody test me,’ I warn in a low voice as the guard walks away, keeping his eyes on us. ‘I can get you sent to another prison that makes this one look like Buckingham Palace.’

George straightens the front of his shirt. ‘It wasn’t a threat. I just needed to know if you were the right man.’

‘Right man for what?’ I spit.

‘To keep an eye on my daughter.’

I reel back. ‘You’re joking. Why the—?’

‘I know your sister well. I probably saw more of her before I got put in here than you did. My daughter adores her and trusts her, and I trust my daughter’s judgement.’

‘Spare me the bullshit. What do you want?’

‘Dove says you’re a good man.’

‘Debatable,’ I grit.

‘You’re a man who loves his family. Who would do whatever it takes to help them. I can see that.’

I don’t like where this is going ...

‘Leave my family out of this,’ I snarl.

He inhales slowly, eyes pinching as he studies me across the table.

‘I have no intention of doing otherwise.’

The tension in my bunched-up shoulders eases a fraction.

‘As long as you bring mine into it,’ he adds.

‘What the hell does that mean?’ I snap. But as I look into his eyes, I get it. ‘Aurora?’ I whisper, her name coming out softly.