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“I hate that I ever let you convince me to get involved,” said Roderick.

“It didn’t take much convincing,” smiled Fayek. “You were desperate, as I recall. Your dig was getting nowhere. You were losing funding. You had quite a gambling debt with a Tunisian who was amused. You needed me, not the other way around.”

“I’m done. Leave me alone. Send me what you owe me, and we’ll part ways. I want nothing more to do with this. Your daughter is happy. She’s married.”

There was silence on the other end of the line, and Roderick waited for that to sink in.

“Who? Who did she marry?”

“I don’t know who he is. But she’s happy and living in the states now. She’s far away from you and all your games. Leave it alone, Fayek. Just do what you have to do for yourself but leave her alone. She’s suffered enough.”

“Maybe. Maybe I need to speak with my representative at the auction house. We might want to move up the reveal.”

“Whatever,” said Roderick in frustration. “Just leave me out of it.” Fayek laughed, the sound sending chills down Roderick’s back.

“Take care of yourself, old friend. Accidents happen at your age.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

“Hello?”

“Daph? It’s Brix.”

“Oh, hello. It’s great to hear your voice,” she smiled.

“Yours too, honey. Listen, we’re headed that way, and we need to get into that warehouse and see what’s there. Can you meet us and give us access? If not, we can figure it out. We just didn’t want to raise any alarms if it wasn’t there.”

“No, no, of course I can. It will give me an excuse to refuse dinner with my parents. They’re driving me mad,” she said with exasperation.

Brix was quiet for a long moment, working up his courage. She didn’t say anything, but he could hear her soft breathing.

“Brix? Are you there?”

“I’m here, honey. Daph, I have no right to ask this of you, but please don’t have dinner with anyone. I want to be the only person you want to have dinner with for the foreseeable future. I know that’s wrong and selfish, and…”

“Exactly what I was hoping you would say,” she laughed. “I’ve been waiting for you to say something that told me you wanted more than one night, Brix. I’ve never felt a stronger connection with anyone in my entire life. I want to spend some time with you, and it seems as though now is the right time to take a break from the auction house.”

“I think it’s a perfect time, Daph. Listen, I’ll text you when we land. Don’t leave the house right now. Wait for another, let’s say, ninety minutes. Find a restaurant or other public place to sit in until I text you. Do not go to that warehouse alone.”

“I promise. Brix? Is it true that Elena’s father is alive?”

“It’s true,” he said. “Hey, I’ll see you soon. We’re almost there. Be careful, Daphne. Don’t take any risks. If you have to turn around and go home, do it fast.”

“I will. I’ll see you soon,” she smiled. The call ended, and she quickly put on a pair of black leggings, hiking boots, and a warm sweater. It might be summer, but England was still cold at night.

Pulling an overnight bag from her closet, she packed several changes of clothes and took them downstairs and into her car. When she walked back inside, she could hear her parents talking.

“She’s got to take some responsibility here,” said her mother.

“She will, dear. She’s a good girl. She knows that we need an heir. I admit we made a mistake the first time, but we’ll do better this go around.” Daphne stood in the doorway, staring at them.

“Better this time around? You mean someone who won’t beat me to death?” They started to speak, and she held up her hand. “Don’t. Don’t attempt to make this sound as if you have my best interests at heart. I’m sorry you lost a daughter. Truly, I am. But this behavior is going to cause you to lose another.

“I am not going to marry anyone of your choosing. If I get married, and that’s a big if it will be a man that I choose, that I love, that I have a connection with. I will not be forced into another relationship.”

“We admitted that we’d made a mistake, Daphne. Your father needs a grandchild to give all of this to.”

“Give it to charity, mother. I don’t care. I make a good living. My trust is performing well in the markets. I don’t need this house or your money.” Her mother just stared at her, fuming from her alleged disinterest.

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