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I grit my teeth, thinking about the asshole I’m going to murder the second I walk out of the building.

“Don’t you dare, Ethan. I see those wheels turning. I’m sure there’s more to it. Don’t do anything yet. Stay put.”

“I need to protect her. Would you do nothing if you were me?”

“You think I don’t care about my own sister? She’s not involved—she isn’t in trouble. If she were, I’d kill the bastard myself. Give me more time. Do I have your permission to get outside help?”

“Do you trust the person?”

“With my life,” he replies without batting an eye.

“Do it.”

“Burn the paper before you leave. Leave no evidence behind.” He gets up, then throws on his leather jacket. “Remember, don’t hurt my sister, or best friend or not, I’ll hurt you.”

Liam strides away, leaving me at the table, my mind whirring from the revelation.

Slowly, I unfurl my hand and smooth out the scrap of paper.

Ten digits. An account number.

And a name.

Dayton Sean Holden, Holden Investments.

Chapter 49

With a click ofa button, I shut the automated blinds in my office, swathing the room in darkness. I rub my temples and review the evidence in the embezzlement case so far.

Transfers to shell companies resembling our vendors.

Wire amounts under the ten thousand dollar Federal Currency Transaction Reporting limit.

Pattern of embezzlement over ten years.

Dayton’s hedge fund behind the Cayman Islands’ account.

When I met Dayton in the hospital after Alexis woke up, I did a full workup on him. Holden Investments has been linked to a few shady deals with questionable businessmen in the past. In the past decade, Dayton had a meteoric rise in the financial world—growing his family’s hedge fund from a boutique firm to a sizable company quickly becoming a power player in the industry.

This rate of growth is almost unheard of. Someone has to be pulling the strings behind it.

I’d also reviewed the past entries in Alexis’s leather journal I kept at my place—paying attention to references on Dayton. I knew she didn’t trust him before they broke up. She felt like he was hiding something from her. She had that strange suspicious “dream” where she thought she overheard something about leverage.

Of course, the current her doesn’t remember any of this—she only remembers her sweet high school boyfriend, who’s now a good friend and, as she recently learned, a man who wants her back. She told methe other day that Dayton had texted her after the cruise, but she hadn’t responded because she didn’t want to encourage his affections.

My urge to kill him for kissing her hand on the cruise—and for these text messages—notwithstanding, is that all this is? Dayton showing up time and time again because he likes her?

Or is it something more?

Is he befriending her because of some ulterior motive? Access to Fleur?

Unease churns inside me.

I’m missing something. I’m tempted to hire a bodyguard for Alexis, but she won’t agree. After all, the Dayton she knows has done nothing to her.

I’ve promised her no more secrets and I don’t want to worry her about my suspicions.

Before knowing Dayton was involved, I was fine with taking my time with the investigation—crossing the T’s, dotting the I’s. I knew I’d make the bastard pay me back tenfold once I caught him.