Page 55 of These White Lies

Brady doesn’t answer.

Am I a loose end?

“Keith wasn’t wealthy. He had no influence. Why would he be involved with them? Why would they kill him?”

“Judging from the note and what your attacker said… He must have taken something that belonged to one of them.”

“How could Keith have been so stupid?”

“He may not have realized who he was dealing with. The more important question is: Why do they think you have it?”

My legs are shaking, and I feel a little sick. “He stole money from our clients. I didn’t find out about it until after the divorce. He siphoned off money from a variety of accounts so it wasn’t uncovered right away.”

My gaze lifts to Brady’s, hope sparking to life. “If we can find a way to ask them how much he owes, I could pay them back.”

“It’s not that simple.” He shakes his head with a frown. “We don’t know specificallywhois behind this. I don’t know all the members’ names, and even if we did, we don’t know if it’s one person or multiple people.”

My head is throbbing. “Then how am I supposed to give them the money back?”

“You aren’t.” Brady crouches in front of me, covering my knees with his large, warm palms. “I’m not convinced itismoney. Something about the phrasing Simpson used, and you said the attacker said, “Tell them whereitis.” I think Keith took an item and hid it. For some reason, they think you know it’s location.”

The backs of my eyes are stinging. I don’t want to cry. Brady tucks my hair behind my ear before cupping my cheek. “I’m notgoing to let anything happen to you, Firefly. Iwillfigure out how to get you free of this.”

His green eyes are stormy as they bore into mine, only inches away.

I believe him.

My body sways forward, and his gaze falls to my mouth.

“Boss,” a deep voice calls. “Okay for me to come in?”

Our gazes hold for a second, and with a sigh, Brady leans back and rises to his feet. “Yeah, Finn. On the right.”

He walks to the door, and I swipe at my eyes to hide any evidence of tears.

Finn appears in the doorway holding my bag. “We found some things I think you’re going to want to take a look at. Callum called. Said he’s been trying to get you on the phone about his client.” He hands the bag to Brady, his face conspicuously blank.

“Thanks. We’ll be right down.”

Finn looks at me, and then his eyes land briefly on the rumpled bed before nodding. He takes a step forward and says something under his breath to Brady that I don’t completely catch but sounds likesheandnuclear. By the way Brady’s shoulders sag, it’s not hard to guess Finn is warning him about Sera.

“Is there a reason your sister dislikes me so much?” I ask, when Finn is gone.

“It’s not personal.”

“Something to do with the scars,” I say carefully. “They aren’t very old, and whatever caused them must have been traumatic.”

He flinches like I slapped him. “How did?—”

“Lucky guess. What happened?”

Brady’s face tightens, the skin over his cheekbones pulling tight. “Not my story to tell, but essentially I failed her.”

His torment is impossible to miss, and if there is anything I know about this man, it’s that he would have never put his sister in danger. “I doubt that.”

His expression hardens. “I don’t want to talk about it. Just know that it’s not you, specifically. She’s just angry and afraid.” He says the last word so softly it’s almost inaudible. Brady holds my gaze, willing me to let it go.

The last thing I want is to get involved in anyone else’s drama or pain right now. Sera is obviously suffering, and I have no intention of adding to it. I nod, and his shoulders relax a fraction.