Chapter Thirty-Four

 

Luc considered his options for a long moment. He’d always intended to go to the authorities once he had enough information—or enough reason.

Wouldn’t threats to the two women he cared about most be enough of a kick in the ass? And he semi-trusted the man in front of him.

At least he’d never found anything alarming in the background he had on Brockman. His people had been very thorough when they’d investigated the people Paige interacted with on a regular basis. The Brockman family in its entirety had files in his office.

And Brockman was in a good position to protect Paige, wasn’t he?

That was what mattered, what had always mattered. He couldn’t keep them both safe. And Payton was already in his keeping. But maybe it was time he involved the authorities?

Luc had never played well with others, or shared. Especially information. It was probably best to just get it out there. “I need your help. And I’m calling in the favors. You said once that you’d owe me for your sister.”

“Yeah, I did. Can’t deny it. And won’t.”

“I never intended to call in that debt. But circumstances have changed.”

“What do you need? I won’t be a part of anything illegal.”

“Nothing I have ever done has been illegal in the country I’ve done it in.” A distinction he’d made certain of.

“What countries we talking about?”

“I helped your sister once, now I’m asking for the same in return. Help me protect mine.”

“I thought the papers said you were an only child?”

“I have a sister. You know her, and you owe me.” Luc showed Brockman the final message. Then flipped back to the previous image of Paige.

“Shit.” Brockman glowered again as he stared at Luc. “Now I see it. She doesn’t have a fucking clue, does she?”

“No. And I have no intention of telling her.”

“Why not? She deserves to know.”

“And that’s exactly why I won’t tell her. What do you think it would do to her to find out that the reason she was in foster care in the first place was because I took her to them when she was three? She went through the hell because of me. She won’t be able to forgive that.”