Page 104 of When He Protects

She was handing those secrets to him on a silver platter.

He climbed from the bed and hauled on his jeans. Then he waited.

“The Fox has been at work far longer than you and your friends in law enforcement probably realize. At first, she started just by lifting a few jewels from unsuspecting friends. But that was too easy, and she liked a challenge.” Esme walked toward the window. The sheet trailed after her as she peeked outside. After a moment, she turned back to Tyler. “She was always striving for more. Always wanting more. She had the perfect cover. A world-renowned opera singer. She could travel the world, and no one would so much as blink an eye. Who would suspect her? She was so lovely, so kind, so talented.” A soft laugh. “She was actually all of those things, but my mother also enjoyed playing very dangerous games.”

“When did your father find out?”

“When I was about five. He caught her in the act. That was when he made the decision to cover for her. To begin pulling suspicion onto himself. He didn’t care what gossip followed him, as long as she was safe.” She crept forward. The edge of the sheet rustled near her feet. “I don’t think my father loved anything in this world as much as he loved her. After she died, he just wasn’t the same person. It was like I lost them both that night.”

He wanted to pull Esme into his arms.I will not lose you, Esme.

“She died the night before my sixteenth birthday. We were supposed to have this big, elaborate party at my father’s estate. But I didn’t want a party.” Her lips lifted as if to smile, only they immediately curled down. No dimples ever flashed. “I wanted to just spend time with them. I wanted to get away from all the people and all the fake masks that everyone seemed to wear all the time around me.My mother insisted on the party. She made up the guest list. She invited people I didn’t even know and then when everyone was sleeping, she made her way across the sloping roof and toward the balcony of a room that was occupied by a very, very influential British businessman. A businessman and a spy. She wasn’t going there to have some sort of clandestine affair. She was going to steal secrets that he possessed. Only she slipped. She fell. I found her the next morning and…” She looked at the floor as if the thread-bare carpet held all the mysteries of the world. “My father had it all covered up. A tragic accident while she was horseback riding. That was the story. She’d gone out for a late-night ride, and the horse bucked, and we didn’t know until the next day, and it was all so very sad. Heartbreaking.” Her shoulders slumped. “You know, I think that might be when I became afraid of heights, too. Or maybe that’s when I became afraid of everything.”

He had to cross to her. “Esme.”

She didn’t look up. Still seemingly focused on the carpet.

His hand reached out and curled under her chin. He forced her to look at him. “Esme.”

There were no tears in her eyes, but plenty of sadness stared back at him. “I tried to make it right. The things I went on to take? Most of them had been stolen from their real owners. Often by her. I tried to fix everything that was broken, but sometimes, you can’t do that. No matter how hard you try.”

No, sometimes, you couldn’t.

“I thought my father was innocent. He always protected her—because he loved her.People will do some insane things for love in this world.”

Yes. They would.

“I never thought he was evil. Not until Louis came calling. Whispering all his stories into my ear. But I still did not want to believe him. Louis thought that my father was the Fox. He wasn’t. First, my mother was. She was the Fox.”

“Then it was you.”

A nod. “Yes.” The sheet slithered.

“You told your father everything that Louis said.”

“I did. I was my father’s spy, and then Louis died. I nearly died. And now, I’ve finally found the video that showed me that my father was there the whole time.”

His thumb brushed over her lower lip.

“My big confession.” She backed up a step.

His hand fell.

“You have everything you wanted, don’t you? I’ve told you the secrets your friend Grayson wanted so badly. You should call him now. Tell him to come get you. Your work is done.”

“You trust Gray? You trust his boss?” Because Tyler didn’t trust Thaddeus. Not for a second.

“It’s not about trust. I think you need real answers about your family. You deserve them. The only way to get those answers is to have Thaddeus and my father questioned.”

That wasn’t the only way. “Jorlan knows what happened. He’s the one who had the damn drive.”

“He won’t talk. Not unless he’s made to talk. It would take quite a lot to make someone like him break.”

“Yes, well, your father isn’t going to suddenly confess to all his sins. Neither will Thaddeus.” She had to understand that. Unless… “Esme.” His eyes narrowed on her. “You changed your masterplan, didn’t you?” Fuck.I should have anticipated this.

“I really do love you.”

He wanted to haul her against him and never let go.

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