Page 95 of Vengeful Union

I’m usually afraid to explore the mansion without Rory, but I know that his father will likely be sleeping off all the champagne he had at the gala. If I do happen to run into him, I’ll scream for Raquel.

Somehow, I’ve fallen in love and made a friend in this prison, and I’m grateful for both Rory and Raquel.

I hurry down the stairs, darting my eyes around to be sure no one’s around.

Rory’s burner phone feels heavy in the robe’s pocket, and I step out on the balcony before taking it out.

I take a deep breath as I dial Declan’s number.

He answers on the fourth ring, his voice raspy from sleep.

“Rory? What happened? Is Lara okay?”

“It’s me,” I say quickly. “I need to talk to you about something.”

“Are you in danger?” He sounds more awake now, almost panicked.

“I’m safe,” I promise him, pacing around the balcony, peering back inside from time to time.

“As safe as you can be in the snake’s den,” he growls, and I sigh heavily.

“Rory is good to me, Declan. I promise that I’m safe.”

“Lara—”

“We can’t argue about this now. Right now, I want to ask you about what happened to Bree and Rory’s mother.”

“It’s all speculation. Bree has no real proof that he did it, just a feeling. It’s the things he’s said, the way her mother left?—”

“But how did she leave? What happened?”

“She was young when it happened, Lara, I don’t?—”

I huff out a frustrated breath. “Declan,please. I need to know. Rory needs to know.”

Declan pauses for a long moment, and I think maybe he’s hung up, but then he finally speaks.

“This marriage... it isn’t just for show, is it?”

I squeeze my eyes shut. “Just tell me what Bree said.”

He draws in a sharp breath. “He called her a traitor. Said she was just like her mother. Bree asked him what he did to her mother, and he said the same thing he did to all traitors.”

My eyes pop open. “So, he confessed?”

“Not in so many words, but yeah. Bree’s pretty convinced that she didn’t abandon them. That she was killed. Bree was very young when it happened, and she took over a lot of the work for her father. Thought he was grieving. Turns out he was just guilty.”

“Jesus,” I whisper, my head spinning.

“I’ll talk to Da and Gray. See if we can tap into the family contacts, see what we can drum up.”

I nod slowly. “Thank you.”

He pauses for a moment. “Are you going to tell Rory?”

I sigh. “I think I have to.”

“Stay safe, Lara.”

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