Page 160 of The Penalty

My head pounded. “Briarcliff Cottage.”

“Yes. That’s the only unused property still in the family’s name. Everything else had been sold.”

“Why does he want it?”

“No idea.” Philip’s response sounded nonchalant, but the tightness in his jaw told me otherwise. “We’d pretty much finalized the deal with Helena Chase. Then Victoria showed up and refused to sign the paperwork. I recognized her at some American football event in London. You were there, too. Jordan was less than thrilled when I told him. I went to the cottage to see if I could—”

“That was you?” My mind flashed to the day I’d seen Victoria arguing with the guy from the charity and the realtor. After they’d left, we went inside and someone had shown up unannounced.

“Imagine my surprise when you came running out,” he said coolly. “I couldn’t get back to my car fast enough.”

I moved closer to him, clenching a fist. The little shit flinched. “I hope you weren’t planning to hurt her that day.”

“What?” His eyes grew large as saucers. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not a psychopath.”

“Oh no?” A dark smile tugged at my mouth. “You work for one.”

Adam cleared his throat and stepped between us. “Let him finish explaining, Xavier. He’s not the bad guy here.”

Philip’s confidence returned when Adam gently pulled me away. I stared at my stepbrother, surprised I’d allowed him put a hand on me, let alone remove me from a potential fight.

The volume of all this new information flowing in made it difficult to focus. Jordan has been going after Victoria’s family since last year? I couldn’t wrap my head around it.

Money can be so persuasive at times.

He’d sounded so fucking smug when he said that to me. At the time, I assumed he was pushing my buttons.

Familiar, wild energy simmered just below the surface of my skin, ready to erupt. I inhaled a deep breath, willing myself not to spiral.

“If this makes it any better,” Philip said, “your girlfriend isn’t the only person Jordan’s targeting. Financially, her family is the most attractive, but he has several others in his sights.”

“None of this makes an ounce of sense,” I grumbled. “Show me what’s in the envelope.”

I tore it open the second he passed it over. A spreadsheet? Studying it closely, I noticed dates, times, phone numbers, and email addresses. All of the dates fell in October. The same dates Victoria will be here for the Legends game.

Two weeks from now.

“What is all this?”

Philip glanced from me to Adam, and back to me. “Blackmail. He’s going to smear her reputation in the media until he gets what he wants.”

Fury darkened the edges of my vision. Breathe. “How?”

A muscle in his jaw twitched. I stormed over to him, nearly losing my shit. Grabbing the collar of his shirt again, I growled, “Tell. Me. What. He. Is. Planning.”

No answer.

“This won’t end well for you if you don’t start talking.” I shoved him against the wall so hard the medals in my display case shook. “Tell me what he’s doing, and then tell me where the fuck he is.”

Philip’s eyes flicked over to Adam. A low laugh rumbled in my chest. “He’s not going to help you. He knows better than to get in my way a second time.”

“Just tell him,” Adam demanded. “Or I will.”

All the color drained from Philip’s face. “I don’t know where he is.”

I pressed my forearm into his throat. “We’ll deal with the lies in a bit. What’s he planning?”

The more this idiot squirmed in my grasp, the more annoyed I became. Rolling my eyes, I flattened a hand on his chest. Philip tensed.

---