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“You can. Just remember, my contract said twenty-five grand on contract. I still expect that.” He looked through the binoculars. Still cozy together. “And don’t think you can send someone after me. You know I’m the best around here. I’ve taken out competition before.”

He didn’t say he’d also gotten rid of two former contractors who’d decided to hire someone to get rid of him because he knew too much. It wasn’t necessary. His reputation would have been well researched. The man behind the voice would already know.

A heavy silence lingered for a full minute.

He refused to break it. Let them sweat it out.

“Fine. Seventy-five thousand,” the voice ground out.

“Excellent. I’ll wait for the new contract before I commence.”

“You’ll have it within the hour.” The other end disconnected.

The assassin smiled. He might have missed his mark, but this time, it would pay off handsomely. He didn’t even care that he’d failed to end the girl. Nor did it bother him that he now had two marks rather than one.

Five minutes later, the new contract arrived. He signed it digitally and waited. Within another five minutes, he got a notification that twenty-five grand had been deposited into his account.

He smiled and put his phone away.

Business was booming.

CHAPTER 3

Brody watched Jenna, waiting to see her reaction.

She shook her head, disbelieving. “My grandmother? I don’t have a grandmother. My mother’s parents died before I was born. My father’s mother died when I was three. I have no memory of her.”

Brody studied her for a moment, trying to decide if he should tell her gently or just say it fast, like ripping off a bandage. He knew the Stone family had adopted her. He’d seen the paperwork himself. What he didn’t know was how they’d found her.

Finally, he nodded to himself. “I’m not talking about them. Jenna, haven’t you ever wondered about your birth parents? Their families?”

“My what? Birth parents?” It didn’t seem possible, but her eyes widened even farther.

Oh, this was worse than he thought. Why he’d assumed she’d known that much he didn’t know. Telling people hard truths about their dead parents wasn’t exactly his skill set.

“Jenna,” he gentled his voice. “You were adopted by the Stones at around two years old. On November twenty-first.”

She shuddered. “That’s my birthdate.”

“No. That’s your adoption date. Your parents didn’t know your birth date. The dentist estimated you to be two, but you were actually two on December eighth.”

He stopped speaking. She’d gone so pale, he feared she might keel over at any second. “Jenna? Are you okay?”

Instead of answering, she scrambled for her phone. Her fingers shook as she punched a couple of numbers.

From his seat across from her, he could hear the phone ringing on the other end. It was loud for a cell phone. Then he recalled the hearing aids he’d seen. A male voice picked up the phone on the third ring.

“Hey, Jenn. No baby y⁠—”

“Zane.” She cut him off. “Am I adopted?”

A moment of shocked silence fell. “Jenna? What’s going on? You know Mom and Dad loved you with all their hearts.”

He hadn’t denied it. Merely deflected.

She suddenly looked sick. “I am, aren’t I? Why didn’t anyone ever tell me?”

Her voice broke. Tears swam in those big blue eyes. He heard sorrow, anger and betrayal bundled together in the question she launched at her unsuspecting brother.