Page 58 of Protected By Her Daddy

“Gregory’s brother. Well, half-brother.”

The revelation floors me. Gregory’s brother? How did we not see it? How did Gabriel not see it? I shove the questions aside. I need to focus on surviving the next few minutes.

“Gabriel trusted you,” I whisper.

Ethan tips his head to the side as he looks at me. “Your husband thinks he’s so fucking untouchable. So much better than everyone else. Always has.”

His voice is calm, but I hear the jealousy and bitterness beneath it. “But…you served together. You’ve hated him all this time?”

“I don’t waste my energy on hate, Wren. It’s a useless emotion. I’d rather focus on something more productive, like blending in and navigating the fine line between the criminal and legitimate worlds. My knowledge of both sides lets me operate in the shadows, where I can get things done.”

The puzzle pieces slowly slot together. “So none of this was ever about me.”

“Not initially, no. Gabriel has too much power, too much influence in government circles. He’s a serious threat to our plans. So, my mission was to gather intelligence on his business operations, security measures, and any potential vulnerabilities or skeletons in his closet.”

“Leverage,” I murmur.

“Yes. We intended to blackmail Gabriel or sabotage his company, depending on what opportunities presented themselves. We couldn’t believe our luck when Gabriel stumbled across you and brought you into the fold.” Ethan looks like a teenager discovering porn for the first time. “I was in the perfect position to keep a close eye on you. Close enough to monitor you but distant enough to avoid raising suspicions.”

Ethan makes it sound so easy. And for him, it was. “You already had Gabriel’s trust, so you never went through his vetting process.”

“Precisely. I’ve been embedded in Gabriel’s organization from the start. I may have served with Gabriel, but Gregory is family. He raised me, fed me, clothed me. My loyalty will always lie with my brother.”

Ethan steps closer, his gun unwavering as he gestures toward the open door. “Now we have all the good stuff out of the way, it’s time to go for a little walk. Don’t want to keep Gregory and Jerry waiting.”

Oh, God. They’re here? In the building? Of course they are—Ethan is their inside man. This was a setup all along. Drawing Gabriel away. Leaving me vulnerable. He could be fighting for his life right now. He could be— My mind veers away from that possibility, unable to process a world without Gabriel.

I glance at Luther, who hasn’t moved, and then at the giant man standing over him. I’m trapped despite Gabriel’s best efforts to keep me safe.

“Please, Ethan. You don’t have to do this,” I plead, trying to buy time to think of some way out of this mess.

Ethan’s expression hardens. “I’m not asking, Wren. Now, move.”

With no other choice, I step forward, my heart pounding so loudly in my ears that it drowns out everything else. Ethan grabs my arm, his grip bruising, and pulls me out of the penthouse. I glance back at the giant, who nods at Ethan before following.

The elevator ride down lasts a lifetime. Every second is a countdown to whatever horror awaits me. My mind flashes to Gabriel and our baby—how I need to stay alive, not just for myself but for them. I need to bide my time and wait for an opportunity. I can’t let them take me.

When the elevator doors slide open, Ethan yanks me into the underground parking garage. The cold, dimly lit space is eerily quiet except for the echo of our footsteps on the concrete. My breath catches as I see Gregory and Jerry leaning against the hood of a car, waiting, their eyes locking onto me as we approach.

Gregory’s face splits into a predatory grin. “Ah, there she is. My little runaway. Seems you landed on your feet, Mrs. Burns.” His eyes rake me up and down. “Sold that virgin cunt to a higher bidder, eh?”

I instinctively flinch at his words, and Ethan tightens his grip on my arm, dragging me closer to them. My eyes dart around, searching for any sign of help, any chance of escape, but the garage is deserted.

“Thought you were safe here, didn’t you? Untouchable. I told you we’d find you, that nowhere was safe,” Jerry says, his familiar oily grin spreading across his face. He looks at the big guy with the scar and the tattoos. “Search her, Jonas.”

I struggle in Ethan’s grip as Jonas moves toward me. “Please. Don’t.”

To his credit, his hands don’t linger like I feared as he pats me down briskly. He hesitates when he reaches my jeans pocket, pulling out the drive.

Turning, he walks to Jerry and places it in his outstretched palm.

“Well, well, well. We’ve been looking for this. You know you were supposed to hide it somewhere we’d never find it, right?” Jerry taunts as Jonas resumes his position beside Ethan.

“Gabriel has copies,” I blurt, clutching at straws.

Jerry’s eyes narrow as he examines me. “Does he, now? Being the upstanding citizen he is, I wonder why he hasn’t gone to the authorities with those copies.”

Shit, shit, shit. Jerry may be a sleazy asshole, but he’s not stupid.

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