Page 213 of The Rebel Billionaire

Her excitement is palpable, and the thought of seeing her and the rest of my family…

“Rebel, I wouldn’t suggest it if I thought you’d be in any danger, you know that.”

“I do.” I sigh. “Are they any closer? Everything seems to have gone silent.”

“Pen can’t say much, but I do know she and Elijah have been kicking up a storm this end. The good news is they’ve finally uncovered some photographs from that night. It’s hard to believe that, despite only seven years having passed, the investigation has been much more difficult than anyone anticipated. People have changed or deleted their accounts.”

“I suppose they can’t simply ask to see photos. Too many questions would be asked,” I say. “I’ll speak to Dan and Mitch, see if they’ve heard anything.”

“So can you come?”

I drop back against the sofa and exhale loudly.

“I’ll come,” I say. “I can’t not be there to see my big sister marry the love of her life. I also need to check Jaxson is sure he knows what he’s doing.”

“I definitely do,” Jax’s voice comes over the line, his face popping onto the corner of the screen. “I’m champing at the bit to make an honest woman of her.”

“TMI,” I say, chuckling. “I shall definitely be there to cheer you both on.”

“Speaking of Pen, how is baby Amelia doing? Sounds like you had a busy afternoon.”

“She’s amazing. Pen is a natural, and Elijah is a gooey mess with regard to his second daughter. Lottie, well, I’m sure you can imagine how taken Lottie is with her baby sister.”

I grin, but my eyes burn. I’d been here, set to join in the baby shower festivities remotely, when Pen had gone into labour. Baby Amelia arrived a little earlier than expected. What with the birth of the twins and now Amelia, I’m missing so much.

Kat’s face takes on a serious expression. “We’ll get you home, Harps. I promise. And when we do, this will all seem like a bad dream.”

“I know,” I sniff. “It’s just… I miss you all so much.”

Today, more than most. The relaxed atmosphere at St Clair is gone. Everyone is looking at everyone else with suspicion.

“We’ll get you to the wedding,” Kat says firmly, making me smile.

One thing I know about my sister is that when she sets her mind to something, it will happen.

“I can’t wait,” I say.

“Me neither, little sis.”

“I still can’t believe you’re marrying Jaxson,” I tease. “All those years of hating him.”

She grimaces.

“I don’t think I ever hated him. I felt too much, and that was the problem. When I thought he’d betrayed me… that nearly broke me.”

“More than Zach?” I ask.

She smiles. “My relationship with Zach was and continues to be, complicated. His lies and deceit were soul-destroying. I lived with a man who lied to my face and to my family every day we were together. But things happen for a reason. I’ll always believe that.”

“You’re sounding more and more like Mum,” I say.

“Heaven help me,” she says. “But I think there’s something in it. What doesn’t break us makes us stronger.”

“I’m holding you to that,” I say.

“You are strong, little sis, stronger than all of us.”

“I don’t feel it,” I admit.