Page 39 of Dirty Grovel

“Honestly? Because I didn’t know how you would react. Or how you’d choose to help. I wasn’t about to risk the chance of telling you, only to have you handle the situation in a way that would put my sister in danger.”

“Which means you trusted Drew above me.”

“No, but he works closely with Paul. He has access to my sister. I was worried and desperate and he offered me a solution.”

“He wanted to manipulate you.”

“I’m very aware of that.”

“And yet you let him.”

She points her chin forward stubbornly. “There is very little I wouldn’t do and a whole lot I would put up with if it means protecting my sister. And since I haven’t succeeded in protecting her, I had to try, at the very least, to save her.” She adjusts her bikini top and slides towards the handrail. “You can choose not to believe me, but that is the truth.”

Then she climbs out of the pool and snatches my towel, because it’s the only one on hand at the moment.

Feeling distinctly rattled, I climb out of the pool myself and trudge to the poolhouse, lost in thought.

Everything Sutton just told me rang true. But I’m not sure if my feelings for her are tainting my judgement.

Can I really trust the woman after everything she’s put me through?

Can I really risk my empire and my position again?

Then again, I know firsthand how powerful a sibling relationship can be. I had a sister of my own and I would have done anything for her.

Can I blame Sutton now for holding up to the same standards?

I’m still seesawing between forgiveness and skepticism when my phone pings.

It’s an alert from my security detail in Nassau.

They’ve sent me a picture.

I open the JPEG and take in the photo.

It features a clear view of Sutton, exiting a pretty well-known women’s clinic in downtown Nassau.

The name is familiar to me; I’m just not sure why.

On the heels of the picture, I get a text from Ilya.

ILYA:Did you check out the image I sent, boss? It’s from this morning.

OLEG:Why is the name of this clinic so familiar?

ILYA:It gained a lot of press attention a couple of years ago. It’s one of *those* places.

OLEG:What does that mean?

ILYA:It’s an abortion clinic.

13

SUTTON

I’ve got about as many problems as this walk-in closet has bikinis.

And about as many solutions as I have actual clothes.

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