Page 45 of Logan (The Valeur Billionaires #1)

“If you love this woman, truly love her, then to hell with the Board.” Dad’s voice is rough, gravelly with emotion. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, Son. Too many to count. The one I regret most? Losing your mother.”

I’m floored, shaken to my core. In all my life, I’ve never heard my father speak like this, never seen him so beaten, so vulnerable. He’s always been an indomitable force, an immovable object. To hear him speak of regret, of loss...

“Don’t make the same mistakes, Son.” Dad’s gaze snaps back to mine, fierce and urgent.

“If you’ve found something real, something worth having.

..fight for it. Fight like hell. Because I promise you, there will come a day when all the money and power in the world won’t fill the hole in your chest. When you’ll give anything, everything, just for one more day with her. ”

I’m stunned, humbled by the naked pain in his voice. I’ve never felt closer to my father than at this moment, never understood him more clearly.

“I chose you to be the CEO, but I never meant it to become your entire life.”

“We both know why you chose me as CEO, Dad.”

“Why do you think I chose you?”

“Because you wanted to prove you don’t think less of me than my brothers.”

He rubs his face. “I don’t think less of you than any of them. I’ve never thought of you differently from them, and I never will. And the fact that you even bring it up hurts me. I chose you because you’re the most suitable for the job. You have the drive and the skills.”

I swallow hard.

“Do you really think you’re less worthy than your brothers?” he asks in a low voice. “After all this time, you still think that because you’re not my biological son, you’re different from them? If so, I’ve failed you as a parent.” He sinks into the chair and closes his eyes.

Fuck. No. “No, you never made me feel different from them, and I appreciate that.”

“Then let it be clear to you that I would never entrust the company to someone I think unworthy. I wouldn’t let everything I’ve built in my lifetime go to ruin just to prove something to someone. Not even to you.” Dad’s features soften.

I place my hands on my knees and hang my head. “I don’t know what to do, Dad. The last thing I want is to disappoint you.”

“You won’t disappoint me.”

“Even if I decide to leave the company?”

“Even if you decide to leave. Although I really hope that’s not the path you choose.”

Dad places a hand on my shoulder. “You’re my son, and I will always love you. Why would you think you’re disappointing me? You’re my son, and my children have always come first to me.”

“Why didn’t you tell anyone about the adoption?”

“What?”

“Because you didn’t want them to find out you couldn’t have kids?”

Dad sighs and gets to his feet, then pulls up a chair next to me and sits down across from me. “Is that what you thought? That we were hiding something?”

I nod.

“We didn’t say anything because we didn’t want anyone to think they had the right to treat you differently. You’re equal in my eyes to your brothers. Does it bother you that people don’t know? ”

I don’t know how to answer that question. I’ve gotten used to hiding. I thought I was protecting my parents, but I never thought about how I felt about this concealment.

“Maybe we made a mistake in not telling everyone.” Dad sighs again.

“You never know what’s the right thing to do as a parent.

We thought we couldn’t have children, but shortly after we brought you home, your mother got pregnant.

And suddenly, we were parents to two. She didn’t want anyone to look at you differently.

She was afraid someone would say something out of line, so we decided to keep it to ourselves.

We thought it would be better if no one knew and didn’t think you were different from Lucas.

You’re my son, just like him and your other siblings.

If anything, we chose you. You’re my child by choice, and I hope I did a good job with you. ”

I nod. “You were good parents.” I sniffle as the emotions swirl inside me. “What if someone finds out I’m adopted? If the media finds out?”

Dad shrugs. “If you want to tell them, that will be your choice. I won’t stop you. Especially now that Mom is no longer alive. I was always in favor of telling everyone.”

Fuck. I rub my face.

“Why do I have a feeling all these questions aren’t related to the video in question?” Dad asks.

“It doesn’t matter. Just one more thing I need to deal with.”

“When is Liam meeting with the board?” Dad asks.

“I assume in a few days. He hasn’t notified me yet.”

“Okay, so we have time to think of a solution.”

“What do I do?” I ask. “How do I fix this?”

“You go to her,” Dad says. “You find her, wherever she’s run to. You fall to your knees, and you beg her forgiveness. You offer her the world, your soul, whatever it takes. And then you pray like hell she’s a better person than you deserve.”

I nod, resolve hardening in my gut. He’s right. Of course, he’s right.

I turn to go, my hand on the door, when Dad’s voice stops me. “And Logan?”

I glance back, one brow raised.

“When you bring her home, bring her to meet the family.” A ghost of a smile plays at the corners of his mouth. “It’s about damn time I met the woman who finally brought the indomitable Logan Valeur to his knees.”

A surprised laugh bubbles out of me, bright and rusty with disuse. “I’ll do that.” I pause, sobering. “And Dad? Thank you. For...everything.”

He waves me away, gruff and blustering, but I can see the shimmer of emotion in his eyes. “Go on, get out of here. Go get your girl.”

I duck out of his office, my heart thundering in my chest. I feel lit up inside, electrified with purpose.

I’m going to find Sloane. I’m going to fix this unholy mess I’ve made. I’m going to lay myself bare at her feet and pray for absolution.

But first, I need to find out where she’s gone.

I pull out my phone and dial with shaking fingers, pacing the plush carpet as it rings once, twice. On the third ring, a chirpy voice answers.

“Emery? It’s Logan Valeur.” I try to keep my voice steady and authoritative. “I need your help.”

What follows is a jumbled, neck-snapping conversation wherein I parse out that Sloane has fled the city and run off to lick her wounds in some godforsaken state park.

Emery is cagey, protective of her friend, and it takes every ounce of charm and persuasion I possess to wrangle the location from her.

By the time I end the call, I’m vibrating with urgency, with the need to move, to act. I’ve got a four-hour drive ahead of me, and Sloane’s already got a hefty head start.

I curse and break into a run, sprinting through the hallways and bursting out into the parking garage. I throw myself into my car and peel out with a screech of rubber, my mind racing ahead.

Starved Rock. The middle of fucking nowhere. But it’s something, a thread to follow. A path back to Sloane.

I’ll walk through fire, crawl over broken glass, hike a thousand miles of godforsaken wilderness.

Whatever it takes. However far I have to go.

I’m coming for her. And this time...I’m never letting her go.