Page 87 of When Hearts Surrender

“It’s five in the afternoon.”

“On aSaturday.”

“Did someone just say my name?” Lana exclaims before sweeping into the room with a sly smile on her face. Her navy gown billows behind her. She strides up to me and gives me a hug.

I feel Morris’s intense stare as I return her embrace and I give him a nod, telling him it’s okay. A flash of sadness appears on his face before he returns my acknowledgment and leaves the room. I frown, not sure what that’s all about.

“I said you are a cockblocker, Lana. Hold on, is that what you say when someone stops you from getting pussy? Or is it pussy blocker?” Rex looks sincerely confused. It’d almost be funny if I weren’t so distracted by my upcoming speech.

“Oh fuck. The Anderson manners are wasted on you, Rex,” Ethan grumbles and rolls his eyes heavenward before helping himself to a drink at the wet bar.

“We aren’t in the eighteenth century anymore! Live a little!” Rex waggles his brows.

“The term is still cockblocker, by the way,” Lana chimes in happily as she slings her arm around Rex’s neck. “You have horrible taste in women.”

Rex has to lean down in order for her to loop her arm around his neck and the two squabble the way they’ve always had growing up, the duo as thick as thieves.

“I’m not marrying her! She’s a supermodel, Lana. Emphasis on thesuper.Ten out of ten. Those perky tits. That round ass.” Rex smirks and waggles his brows.

“Ew. How am I related to you? I guess you overlooked how she blackmailed three of her ex-boyfriends in the past. I don’t want to bail you out from some PR scandal.”

“Blackmail? Is there something I should know?” a deep voice sounds from the doorway.

Elias Kent leans against the frame, his fingers fiddling with an ornate lighter—something I’ve seen him carry around everywhere even thoughthe man doesn’t smoke. He lifts his head and turns toward us, his lips curved in a ghost of a smile.

“Rex and Lana are just getting into their usual fights, no blackmail. Your services aren’t necessary,” I reply, watching his attention turn toward my squabbling siblings, with Lana throwing her head back in laughter as she says something that’s making Rex’s ears turn red.

“I see.” He stares for a beat longer than necessary and I frown, trying to figure out who he’s focusing on with his lasered attention.

Elias straightens and cracks the joints on his neck before murmuring, “Well, I want to wish you good luck on the speech today. And I’m having the issues looked into. You should’ve contacted me sooner. The trail grows cold over time, but my men will update me as they get more info.”

I was hoping I’d get to the bottom of things without hisservices. They usually come with a hefty non-monetary price tag.

“Thanks. I know I can count on you to get to the bottom of this.”

Despite Elias being the ruler of the New York underground, the infamous mobster everyone is fearful of, he has been a friend of our family ever since he appeared in our lives a long time ago after a chance encounter when Ryland and I saved his life.

Ever since then, he’s been a dark shadow lurking in the background, a silent sentinel who has helped our family out of a bind a few times, from assisting Steven with the hostile takeover situation of his father’s company to supporting Millie and Ryland when the scandal of their professor and student relationship broke to the press half a year ago. He has even invested in The Orchid and handles the staffing of the people working on the Rose floors,voluntarily, of course. He abhors human and sexual trafficking.

A villain with morals.

He may be dangerous, but I trust him.

I walk to the man, who is preparing to leave, and ask, “Could it just be an accident?” The thought doesn’t make me feel any better because ofthe curse, but it’s better than someone actively out there trying to hurt Belle.

“Maybe, but I don’t believe in coincidences. Oil slick on stairs? A burst pipe that happened in a brand-new building? And you obviously have your concerns or you wouldn’t have called me.”

“Nothing came up for Bob Heines? I didn’t get too much other than suspected illegal activities in my background check.” He’s the former boss everyone seems to hate at the shelter.

Elias shakes his head. “Lowlife with gambling debts who has a few low-level politicians in his pocket. He’s scum but doesn’t know anything.”

“You sure? Belle’s friends seem to think he has something to do with the incident.”

Elias turns toward me, a chill falling across his features. The vertical scar spanning one side of his face twitches. The silent, lethal assassin.

His lips curl up on one side and he murmurs, out of earshot of the others in the room, “Trust me.I made surehe was telling the truth.”

I swallow, not needing any more clarification from him. I don’t care what methods he used to get his information—I’ll kill anyone who hurts my family.

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