Page 107 of Beauty and the Daddy

"You don't trust me," she cuts me off, clicking through folders. "But I trust you with everything. Now get over here."

That lands.

The Lord above knows I just need the woman to listen so I can keep her safe. But her hair's all wild, and she's got this reckless determination in her eye that tells me I shouldn't get in between Belle and her storm.

"Fine."

I move behind her, close enough to smell her shampoo, to feel the heat of her body. She's shaking slightly, but her eyes stay locked on the screen.

"What am I looking at?" I ask, leaning over her shoulder.

"Security logs from the night of the break-in." Her voice drops to a whisper. "From three hours before the attack."

Declan walks intomyoffice where he shouldn't be when I'm not around. I feel the rage simmer.

"Keep watching," she orders.

I do. On screen, Declan moves to my bar with practiced ease, selecting the bottle of Macallan I drink every night after Sofia goes to bed. The vial he produces is small, clinical—the kind used for concentrated doses.

Poison. My own brother tried to murder me with my favorite scotch.

Rage floods my system like molten steel. "That motherfucking piece of shit."

"Yeah." Belle turns to face me. "Your brother's trying to fuck you over."

It's one thing to suspect Declan. It's another to see the proof in living color.

My brother wants me dead. And he would have succeeded if I hadn't been with Belle that night instead of drinking in my office like usual.

"I knew it," I hiss. "I had a gut feeling, but this is what I needed for cold, hard facts." I gesture at the screen where the evidence plays on loop.

"He's the one who orchestrated the attack, too, isn't he?" Belle asks, her eyes never leaving my face.

"I had a man confess to it, but his word against my brother's meant nothing. This—" I tap the screen, "—is everything. I've got a warrant to act now."

I stare at Belle, truly take her in. I've been starving for certainty, and she just served it hot. That's partnership. That's family. Yeah, I was mad at her for hiding the baby. But then again, she didn't have to do this.

Maybe she made a mistake. Haven't we all? But looking at her now, she isn't the woman I forced into marriage. She's becoming an equal. A partner.

So I better well damn treat her with the respect that title demands.

I lean in close and whisper, "Thanks for riding with me."

Belle presses herself between me and the desk. Her hands come up to cup my face.

"You could have been hurt," I growl, gripping her waist. "Sneaking around during lockdown?—"

"I did what I did to save this family." Her eyes flash. "We can't keep living in fear."

I nod, pulling her closer.

Her lips part, her eyes darting between mine. "I hate that I—" she swallows "—that I fucked up."

She's close enough that her breath hits my mouth.

"I know." I tighten my arms around her waist and sit in the chair hitting the back of my legs, taking her with me. She lands in my lap like she's mine and joy hits me so hard it steals my breath.

This woman chose to help me. Chose to risk the storm to bring me the lightning.