Page 167 of Empire of Ache & Ruin

“Paloma’s mom.” I blow out a breath. “Aunt Freya said something that stuck with me. She said Clara hated the Senator. He was obsessed with her, which is why Aunt Freya never liked him. He was always around, being a total creep with Clara.”

“Okay. So what did you find out?” He sits forward.

“Please tell me you won’t say anything to Tristan. This is going to kill him.” I rub the side of my face. “This is the last thing he needs.”

“Jesus Christ, Gardenia. Just tell me.” His serene eyes shift from calm to intense. Jacob’s temperament is always light and fun. Until his family’s well-being is on the line. Then he can be so intimidating and even dangerous.

“I took the liberty of getting some DNA samples from the mansion when we were there installing the cameras. The results came back. Paloma is not the Senator’s daughter.”

“The fuck?” He sits back on his chair. “What does this mean?”

“I don’t know.” I shrug. “But think about it. Clara hated the Senator. Then has a daughter out of wedlock. No one knows who the dad is. But then, she disappears. And all of the sudden.” I throw my arms up in the air for effect. “Bam, the Senator has a daughter and a dead wife.”

“I mean, people adopt children all the time,” Jacob asks, shooting a quick glance toward Tristan’s office.

“There are no adoption papers. He appears as the father on Paloma’s birth certificate.” I cock my eyebrow.

“Can you prove any of it?” he asks.

“Can I prove he kidnapped Paloma when she was four? No. But the one fact is indisputable—Paloma is not his daughter.” I point at the paper in front of me. “And here’s the other thing.”

“Of course, there’s another thing.” He runs a hand through his hair.

“It’s been a month and the Senator’s still missing. I have no idea what that means. But one thing is for sure.” I bite my lower lip, feeling guilty for my part in leaving her behind. “Paloma is in danger.”

“Why?” Jacob takes the DNA test results from me and stares at it. “Hunter is gone. And so is the Senator.”

“The Senator’s obsession for Clara led him to possibly kidnap Paloma and raise her as his own.” I stop to inhale. “I don’t know. I have a bad feeling about him. As long as the Senator is out there, possibly alive, Paloma is not safe.”

“So what do we do?” Jacob meets my gaze. “Do we tell Tristan?”

“That’s the six-million-dollar question, isn’t it?” I swallow the lump in my throat.

Tristan is safe here. He barely survived the Senator this time around. What would happen if he went back to the States for round three? I don’t want to be the one to put him in danger like that. Aunt Freya would not want that for him. If he returns, then she died for nothing.

“Whether we like it or not, Paloma is his wife. And Tristan loves her beyond reason,” Jacob mutters.

“I know.” I swallow hard at that irrefutable fact. “He only let her go because he thinks that’s what’s best for her. If that changes in his mind, what do you think he’ll do?”

He scoffs. “Go after her. Try and save her. And possibly die in the process.” Jacob purses his lips. The fire in his eyes tells me he’s thinking the same thing I am. “We can’t tell him. The Senator has proven to be smarter and more influential than we thought. It’s too risky.”

“I know.” I glance up, and my heart rate spikes instantly.

“What exactly is too risky?” Tristan crowds the threshold.

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