Page 67 of Wicked Heiress

After seeing the tape sent to Drake by Viktor, I knew Grace’s father had something to do with the key. But how did he know Grace had it? Bastian hadn’t been in contact with him. Her cousin was the only other person who knew she had it.

Fitzy undoubtedly questioned Bastian, who would have lied through his teeth. Maybe that was why Fitzy let Bastian run Atlantic Airlines after he graduated from Harvard University.

Did he force Fitzy’s hand?

According to his parents will, Bastian couldn’t access the trust until his twenty-fifth birthday. But he became the CEO at twenty-one. At that point, Fitzy stepped away from the company and only attended board meetings when required.

Bastian could have taken the fortune for himself. But, instead, he gave it to Grace. But why? Out of the kindness of his heart?

I couldn’t ask him over the phone. The Knights only shared information in person. We could never be too careful, even with all of Drake’s safeguards to protect us.

After I slid the panel into the wall and moved the chest back into its proper place, I sat on the bed. I considered all of Grace’s options. She could come clean with Fitzy and barter her freedom for the key. But then, that would leave her vulnerable to her bio dad and The Lucaya Group.

Fitzy and The Devil’s Knights would wash their hands of her. On paper, she wasn’t an Adams anymore. Her grandfather might let her go, but I doubted he would let her live. The old man left no stone unturned and wasn’t above resorting to murder.

I needed to talk.

To tell someone.

With the key secured, I went straight to my father’s office without speaking to anyone. Rhys was talking on the phone outside by the pool, smoking a cigar as if he had something to celebrate. I could see him sitting at the table on the patio. I moved Rhys to a room on the first floor to keep him away from Grace.

Lying prick.

I was right not to trust him, despite him being a Knight. The piece of shit even had me fooled but not for long. To think I was stupid enough to share her. Grace hated herself for letting him trick her, but I let him blindside me, too.

And I knew better.

I entered my dad’s office, and his head snapped to me, shock scrolling across his face when I locked the door behind me.

“Cole, what are you doing?”

“We need to talk.”

I sat on the couch across from him and explained everything I had learned from Drake and Grace tonight.

The key.

Bastian.

Fitzy.

Viktor.

All of it.

Dad scratched the corner of his jaw, deep in thought. He hadn’t spoken a word for several minutes, taking it all in.

“At least now we understand some of Fitzy’s behavior,” he said after a few more minutes of contemplation. “Grace having an Elders key changes nothing.”

“Yes, it does,” I shot back.

“This only puts more of a target on her head.”

“Grace has leverage over him,” I insisted. “Something none of us have on the old man.”

He sat back in the oversized armchair, resting his dress shoe on his knee. “Even without the key, Fitzy is still worth over two hundred fifty billion dollars. Grace won’t inherit a cent until he dies. Besides, women can’t become members of The Founders Society.”

“It’s not about the money. That key is power. Fitzy won’t allow anyone to have that over him. He hasn’t killed Grace because if he had, he would never know what happened to the key.”

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