Page 14 of It Starts With A No

She shrugged. “I couldn’t just let you go with him.”

Seth studied Clary’s face, looking for any hint of deception. He’d gotten really good at reading people’s faces—another survival skill picked up from his time with Holly Eolenfeld.

When his gaze met her dark chocolate brown eyes, he was certain that she meant what she’d said.

She didn’t even need to say those words. He should already know. She’d put her life on the line and held on to him regardless of the danger. Even with the gun waving around, Seth knew she wouldn’t back down from her stance.

“Why does your brother hate Mr. E—Eolenfeld so much?”

The question snapped him out of his thoughts. He strode back toward the sofa and sat. “Are you sure you want to know?”

“He abused you and Elton?”

His brows rose. Never would he think Clary would come to that conclusion, especially not when she seemed so loyal to the old man. Had she suffered at Edward Eolenfeld’s hands? So why the loyalty? Stockholm syndrome?

“I work—worked—for Safe Homes,” she continued. “We find and counsel families to prepare them for foster homes. We also arrange for children to be placed in said homes.”

Shaking his head, he rubbed a hand over his mouth. “Then you’re part of the problem.”

Clary’s lips disappeared between her teeth. “Why come to Mr. E for a loan, then? You’re a billionaire. You could go anywhere for a loan.”

“I need it fast.”

She fell silent, but her gaze remained on him.

“He agreed without a second thought. I wonder why.”

She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She was so loyal to the old man that she didn’t even dare to ask.

“It wasn’t him,” Seth said, deciding to spare her the agony so clear in her eyes. “It was his daughter, Holly Eolenfeld.”

A spark of recognition went off in her eyes that he couldn’t tear himself away from, so he just shut his.

“She’s the actress,” Clary said.

“She’s a monster.”

“I’m sorry for whatever she did to you and your brother.”

Seth opened his eyes, because he needed to look at her. “You believe me?”

“Why would you lie to me about it?”

“Because we’re ungrateful brats?” Which was what everyone thought of him and his brothers. You should count your blessings and stop spewing nonsense. “Because I just want to sow discord between you and the old man?”

Her tongue darted across her lips. “An FBI agent I worked with told me that one sign of a child who’s been abused is when the child freezes up at an adult’s touch.” She stopped after that and dropped her gaze.

She didn’t have to continue. He already knew; he knew how messed up he was. “You noticed.”

She didn’t reply.

“Aren’t you going to stand up for the Eolenfelds?”

“I don’t care for most of the Eolenfelds.”

So she only cared about the richest one of all? “Do you know her?”

She shook her head. “I know of her. The last I heard from my grandmother, she’s …”

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