Page 104 of Betrayed

“Yes. but I didn’t find out he'd but me out of his will until it was too late. I’d already promised Roman I’d pay him back once I settled the estate.”

But he couldn’t, because Grandpa didn't cut my father out of his will, but he had changed it so I'd inherit most of his fortune.

My father looked remorseful when he explained how Roman blackmailed him, saying he’d turn my father in if he didn’t help another colleague.

“Instead of reducing my debt, he transferred money to my account, knowing it’d look like a bribe. He trapped me; I had to do his bidding.”

I thought back to all those times Priscilla whined about money problems. “Does Priscilla know?”

“Not about the gambling, no. But she knows I’m in financial trouble.”

Now he needs me to bail him out. I would’ve given him the money if he’d just asked, but he sold me out. I’m a prisoner until I turn twenty-five.And God only knows what’ll happen after I give them the money.

“But you can help me,” he practically begged.

So why hire SSI? Was it just for show? And how was he paying them?

“Why’d you hire a bodyguard?”

He clasped my hands as he said, “Because I wanted to protect you. I thought I could take care of things. You have to believe me. I never wanted this to happen, for you to get involved.”

That I could believe. He’d always done his best to take care of me. In his own misguided way, he’d tried to protect me by hiding the truth.

“Did you know about the attack at school?”Was he in on it?

He claimed he didn’t know until after it had happened. Though he admitted he found out from Crowley, not SSI.

When I asked, Dad explained Crowley was the guy he was talking to when I walked in. “He’s Roman’s right-hand man.”

“They didn’t realize I’d hired a bodyguard.” He touched the bruises on his face. “That’s when they threatened to kill me if I didn’t bring you to them.”

“But you told SSI to send me to a safe house instead?” I might be able to forgive him for fucking up so badly if I could trust he had nothing to do with the attack or the kidnappings.

“I did, but then I changed my mind. I told John I didn’t think it was necessary.”

What the hell! No one had shared that nugget of information with me.

“You would have brought me here,” I whispered as the weight of my father’s betrayal sank in. He would have handed me over to clear his debt.

My father was willing to risk my lift to save his own.

That’s why they had to take Meg—SSI had ignored my father and kept protecting me.

Andrew.

“You let them kidnap an innocent woman to get to me?” I gave up trying and accepted my father wasn’t the man I thought he was, not anymore.

“They didn’t give me a choice,” he whined.

“There’s always a choice,” I said, turning my back on him.

And he’d been making the wrong ones for a long time.

Chapter 48

AJ

Seconds ticked by at a snail’s pace as Meg and I waited for Jack and the others. As soon as Jack parked and got out of his car, Meg ran to him. He met her halfway and fell to his knees, burying his face in her belly as he hugged her.

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