Page 52 of Noble Hops

“With money from Curtis?”

“He owed Victoria the child support,” Nic argued.“Years of it.”

“She didn’t want to ask for it,” Garrett said.“Money never comes without strings.We didn’t want to owe him or be connected to him.After the way he reacted when Mom tried to take you, we didn’t want him to have some claim on Lette.That’s why we never asked until it was necessary.If we could have found any other way, we would have.”

“How’d you get Curtis to pay?”Cam asked, still trying to piece together the past.“I can’t imagine he did so willingly.You’d been gone almost twenty years then.”

“I had pictures of what my mother looked like after he beat her.”

“Not to mention an illegitimate child.”

“I’m not proud of what I did, but I’m proud of my sister.It was worth it.”

“You should have told me,” Nic said.

Garrett shook his head vehemently.“I wasn’t risking your future either.You’d already sacrificed enough for us.”

“You’re risking her future now by being here.”

“So tell me what the fuck is going on,” Garrett demanded.“You’re acting like we’re in more danger now than when we left.”

“You are!”

“Where’s your sister now?”Cam asked.

“Back at the hotel with Mom.”

“Mel’s on them,” Nic said, answering his next question.“I told them to stay inside.”

“You freaked them out is what you did.”

Nic straightened, voice booming.“I’m trying to keep them alive!”

Cam drew closer, laying a hand on his back, calming as much as claiming.“If you’re not here to collect,” he said to Garrett, “then why are you here?”

“We were here in the area—Nicolette had a job interview—and we saw the news about Curtis.We got the call from Dennis that same afternoon.We gave Nicolette the choice, and she’s always wanted to meet her other brother.We thought the coast was clear, that it was safe with Curtis out of the picture.”

“Well, it’s not,” Nic grumbled, practically vibrating.

“I’m gathering that.So tell me why.”

“Curtis was in debt,” Cam explained.“To some very dangerous people, one in particular who’s made threats against Nic.”

“And now you’ve just handed him another Price heir,” Nic said.“Another point of leverage he can go after directly or use against me.”

“He doesn’t necessarily know about Lette yet,” Garrett said.

“He’ll know as soon as we file the will with probate.”

“Which is delayed because of the autopsy.”Cam found himself in the unlikely role of peacemaker.De-escalation seemed in order all around.“If we can quickly wrap our case, then no one will be the wiser about your sister until our target is indicted.”He turned his attention to Garrett.“When’s your flight home?”

“Sunday.”

“Okay, we’ll keep you and your family safe until then.”

Garrett gestured at his uniform.“We’re not helpless.”

“I can see that, but Nic deeply regrets the way things went down last time.”Cam moved closer still to his lover, arms brushing, fingers tangling between them.“I won’t let him go through that again.”