Page 65 of Fierce Secrets

Sofia's eyes widened. "Records? What did they say?"

"They documented a lot of injuries. Broken bones, concussions, you name it. Almost one visit a year since my mom died."

Her frown morphed into horror as I chewed my cheek, unable to hold her gaze.

"Wait, did your father do all that?"

I nodded, resting my chin on the pillow. "I remembered them, what caused a few of them in my early and mid-teens. Him just being mad over stupid things. Gray never knew. Dad always made sure to hurt me when he wasn't around. And it was covered as an accident. Biking injury, falling down the stairs, you name it."

"Mer… Jesus Christ, that man was fucked in the head. To hurt his own daughter like that?" She shook her head, her expression pained and saddened. "I'm so sorry."

"Well, it's over, he paid for it," I mumbled.

"Leo and Gray..." Sofia took a moment to choose her words, but settled on what she believed. "They did the right thing, putting down that monster."

"Yeah, I guess so." I pursed my lips for a moment as Sof stared at me like I was about to break into pieces. Surprisingly, I didn't feel that way. Sure, I'd cried, but I was doing well for the most part in life despite his attempts to destroy me and break me down. Hell, even kill me. I was alive despite him. Was I thriving? Well, I was doing better than him by any account.

"That's not all." I took a deep breath. "Today, at work, I think I ran into the blackmailer. He kept saying 'we know' about my father's death, but maybe it's just him trying to sound more threatening."

"What?" Sofia sat up straighter, her expression shifting to a new kind of shock. "What happened?"

"Well, I tried to question him, but that got interrupted when Miss Home-wrecker showed up?—"

"No way!" Sofia's eyes went wide. "You saw her? Holy shit, why didn't you call?!"

"Sorry, I was a little preoccupied being restrained." I couldn't help a small, bitter laugh. "She slapped me, I slapped her back and tried to go in for more, so security got involved. She hadthe nerve to go off at me, saying how dare I? Probably for Logan being in the hospital I suppose."

"Good for you!" Sofia actually clapped as she barked out a gleeful laugh. "Let her have those sloppy seconds and a messed up face. You should've put that bitch in the gutter and given her a black eye. Man, what I would've done to see that!" She grinned wickedly. "She'll get her karma when he cheats on her too though, just wait and see. Stupid cow." Her expression sobered though as mine did. "But back to this blackmailer. Even though that was utter gold. You think you know who it is?"

I nodded, thinking of Sullivan's voice on the phone. "He used to work with my father, before Leo came into the picture. Before my father started working with the Donati family."

"Don't leave me in suspense, what's his name? Why haven't you told Leo or Gray?" Her brow drew together uneasily.

"Andrew Sullivan. And because it's from before the Donati family. What if he knew way back then but kept it secret because he knew of the Donati family my father was mixed up with? What if he's got a sick daughter he needs money for, or…" I let my words trail off as she nodded knowingly.

"You think Leo will wipe him off the board when he might be someone innocent. Although, just saying, no blackmailer is innocent," she said pointedly. "But it's nothing we can't figure out. So he worked with your father before Leo came along? Do you remember how they worked together?"

She had her phone out now, and I relaxed, knowing if anyone could help me get to the bottom of this, it was my CIA sleuth of a friend. The information she'd dug up on others in college and throughout our friendship had been insane, although now I knew how and why.

"They worked together, a financial partnership. AA Finances," I shared, and she rolled her eyes.

"So original. I'll find him."

"I already did, I called him?—"

Meredith!" Sofia's gaze shot up from her phone. "You don't call the man trying to blackmail you!"

"I thought he might give me more answers," I defended myself, feeling a little silly now with her outburst. Maybe it hadn't been my smartest move, then again, none of them had been lately.

"Well did he?"

"No…"

Her expression screamed 'what did you expect' before she focused on her phone without another word. Her fingers flew across the screen and then she was making calls. Despite leaving her family's business behind, she clearly still had connections. A few quick calls as she paced the living area, and information started flowing.

"Okay, we'll know in the next thirty minutes," Sof said once she hung up on yet another call. "Now, going forward, don't contact him, Mer. If he said ‘we’, maybe he is working with someone else, and if he knows the Donati family, maybe it's not good people."

"If so, why would he visit me in person at work?" I pointed out, although my stomach was knotting now.

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