Page 185 of Brutal Prince

Another piece falls into place. That painting in my father’s study, the one with that creepy little goblin. Only now can I finally make sense of the name scrawled in the bottom corner.

Davis. Indi’s family home, her mother’s maiden surname.

Fuck knows what the initial was, but that scrawl couldn’t form any other word, now that the thought’s latched in place.

Marcus must have been accessing files on the regular for his dad. Every time my father had a new client and I mentioned something to Marcus, he must have had his father beat him up, knowing I would take him in. Getting me drunk so he could slip into my father’s study and get the new client’s information, knowing full well of the treasures they were keeping in their homes.

That’s why Indi’s necklace matched that bracelet so perfectly. It was part of the same set her father commissioned mine to make. The one he tried to pay off with his wife’s painting.

I almost drop my phone how my hands are shaking. I stab on my father’s name and pray to God that just this once he’ll answer.

“Please,” I murmur, my thumb in my mouth as I tear off a strip of nail.

“Where are you?” Edward answers, voice dangerously low.

“Doesn’t matter. Dad, please, just listen.”

And through some strange miracle or strange twist of fate, he does.

“I need the address for the client you made that blue bracelet for.”

“What?”

“The bracelet. The painting? The one in front of your safe. I need that address!”

Edward lets out a mirthless laugh. “Why the fuck are you asking me? You already—”

“I wasn’t involved, okay? It was all Marcus, Dad. I need that address, okay?”

“Sure son,” Dad says casually. “I’ll give you the address.”

My skin prickles in warning. “Okay,” I say through numb lips. “Thanks.”

“Soon as the police department’s IT guys are done trying to bring my computer back to life.”

My heart beats in my throat.

“What?”

“Bit difficult getting anything off the hard drive you two crashed, isn’t it?”

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