Page 13

After the toast, we all dig into our first course, savoring every bite of the delicious spread.

I reach for my napkin and spot Samuel, Vin’s right-hand man, enter the room with worry in his eyes. He swallows hard, his gaze quickly finding me before shifting to my brother. He heads straight for Vin and leans in, whispering something I can’t quite hear.

I wrap my fingers around my glass and eye Vin over the rim. His features go unnervingly still, fury held tight beneath the surface, and a cold unease slips through me when his gaze finds mine.

“What is it?” I set my glass down and lean closer, waiting for a response. But Vin doesn’t say a word. “Vin?”

He taps his finger on the table, his eyes appearing thousands of miles away. “Let’s talk privately.”

I straighten, worry piercing my chest. “Is it Clara?” I abruptly stand, panic gripping me. She was just here. What could have happened in such a short amount of time? “Where is she?” I step to the side, but stop at Vin’s words.

“It’s not Clara.” He shakes his head, his eyes falling to his plate of food.

Relief momentarily fills me as I drag my fingers through my hair. “Then what the hell is it? You had me ready to start a war on my daughter’s behalf.”

Vin glances up, locking eyes with mine, and I see everything I need to know. My body stills, my heart thrashing against my rib cage. “No,” I say, not ready to believe it. “That’s not possible.” I shake my head and step closer to Vin. “You told me to wait, and I did. You promised me nothing would happen to her.” This can’t be right. I’m supposed to leave here right after dinner to get her. “She was just seen yesterday afternoon by your guy. So, when could it have happened?”

“Last night,” Vin answers, his voice laced with guilt.

“How?” My fingers clench into tight fists at my sides as fury rolls through my body.

“Alex—”

“How?” I shout, not recognizing my own uncontrolled voice.

I’m the calm brother.

The one who remains level-headed in times of crisis.

But right now, I feel raw and violent.

Vin exhales. “She drowned. Apparently, she fell overboard on their yacht during a storm. She didn’t know how to swim.”

Drowned.

He says it like it was an accident when we all know the damn truth.

“I trusted you,” I whisper, pain tightening across my chest. I came to him for help. But he told me to wait, and I never should have listened. I should have followed my gut. I should have fucking kidnapped her months ago when I had the goddamn chance!

“I’m sorry, brother. Truly, I am.” He stands and places a hand on my shoulder. “I thought we had time.”

A wrath as I’ve never felt before rolls through my entire body. I shove my chair back, knocking it over, before storming out of the room and out the front door.

I bypass my car, my hands shaking from too much adrenaline, and continue on foot through the woods. The house fades behind me as I reach the lake. My knees drop to the wet sand as a murderous roar escapes between my lips, echoing across the calm water’s surface.

A memory from the night of the governor’s ball crashes into me before I can stop it.

“Who’s that?” I ask, my eyes traveling over a beautiful blonde woman walking timidly toward Garrett and taking her seat beside him. But it’s the familiar silver dress that has my body freezing. Because it’s the same dress I was sitting next to on the bathroom floor only moments ago. Garrett stares down at her with pure vehemence before quickly masking his features with a brilliant white smile aimed at his constituents around him.

“That poor girl.” Mother sighs, cutting into her salad. “That’s his wife, Charlotte. Whenever I see her from afar with him, she appears afraid of her own shadow. I wish I could help her.”

Charlotte.

So, Garrett is the monster who hurts her.

My knuckles whiten around my butter knife. “He abuses her?”

“There’s been no confirmation,” Mother says. “But it doesn’t take an expert to spot the signs. Look at her.”