Page 82 of Seducer

I wouldn’t say the man seemed nervous, more acutely aware I was avoiding the truth. “Well, we aren’t our parents. You know?”

“No, we are not.” Although I hardly believed that. In my mind, I was my father reincarnated.

“Just be careful beating up reporters on national television.”

Fortunately, it was just local.

For now. If our enemies got ahold of the damning information, whether the truth or not, I could only imagine how they’d spin it. I was surprised there hadn’t been a single phone call from another newspaper or news broadcast.

I could swear by the way Mack was sauntering out the door, he thought he had something on me.

I turned toward the window, shoving my hands in my pockets. Maybe Jerry knew his days were numbered. If so, why accost Sara? Frustration and fear did alter a man’s personality. Sighing,I studied the traffic as everything Walker had told me replaced Mack’s accusations.

A serial killer. That just figured. I laughed bitterly and grabbed the file. This was something I couldn’t keep from my brothers. I knocked on Wilder’s door while he was in the middle of a phone call.

“What’s up?” he asked after placing his hand over his phone.

“Meet me in Xander’s office.”

He narrowed his eyes and nodded. “Two minutes.”

I didn’t respond, taking long strides toward the other end of the building where Xander’s office was located. The door was partially open, his assistant inside with him. Both were going over paperwork.

When I walked inside, the girl immediately moved to leave.

“Thanks, Carrie. Make certain Christopher checks those over,” Xander told her. He lifted his gaze toward me, a knowing smirk on his face.

Carrie smiled as she passed, instantly closing the door when she left.

“You came to tell me you’re headed out on a flight,” Xander suggested, although I heard the teasing tone on his voice.

“Hardly. I have some interesting news.”

“Then by all means.”

“We’ll wait for Wilder.”

Xander narrowed his eyes. “Should I be worried?”

“I don’t honestly know at this point.”

“That sounds ominous.”

I laughed in a tone I didn’t recognize. “While we’re waiting, let me ask you a question.”

“O-kay.” I never asked anything of either one of my brothers. We were far too independent.

“How did you know Jessica could fight the darkness?”

“What?” He acted as if he was going to choke.

“Don’t fuck with me. Just answer the question.” The woman who’d snagged his heart had seemed one of a kind. There were few who could learn about our masked sides and not only accept but embrace the darkness.

He continued to act confused before glancing out his window. “I just knew. The moment she entered my world, I had a feeling the dark side of her rivaled my own. We hit it off in the gaming chatrooms. She challenged my sense of vision. I pushed against every concept of her decency. When I realized how much she craved being hunted, I felt like some kid.” He laughed and turned his head in my direction. “I don’t know, Zach. She was the first woman who embraced all sides of me, including accepting my past. That wasn’t… normal, which attracted the hell out of me. Why are you asking?”

“I was just curious.”

“Uh-huh. Someone captured a part of that dark soul of yours.”

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