Page 45 of The Sexy Ex's Brother
I don’t care how long this takes. I’m going to untangle Derek’s web, because if I don’t, Jack won’t just lose his reputation. He’ll lose everything. And so will I.
I open a fresh file. Title it:Contingency. A list forms, journalists who’ll listen, donors who can be persuaded, foundations Derek is quietly tied to, names I’ve stored but never used.
I tap my pen against the edge of the table, my thoughts louder than the room. I can’t afford mistakes. Not now. Not when Jack’s entire future is balanced on how well I navigate this.
Sienna returns, phone in hand.
“She’s in. She wants to meet tonight. Neutral ground.”
My mind shifts into motion. “We’ll go. But I need a backup route, a burner set to silent, and eyes on the meeting spot before we arrive.”
Sienna grins. “You’re terrifying when you’re like this.”
“No,” I murmur, reaching for my coat. “I’m terrified. There’s a difference.”
And I have every reason to be. Because Derek might have been ready. But so am I.
24
JACK
The note is still where she left it. Folded once, clean, and careful. My name on the outside. I knew it was from her before I opened it. Knew it the second I saw the handwriting, hers, always precise when she’s trying to stay calm. I’ve memorized every word:Don’t look for me. Not now. It’s not safe… for you or for us. I love you.
I don’t sit. I haven’t since I got back. I pace the floor of this goddamn apartment, the lights dim, her voice lodged somewhere between the quiet and the weight in my chest. I know what she’s doing. She thinks this is for my protection, that distance is safer than standing beside me. She’s wrong.
Leo calls again. I don’t answer. The last thing I need right now is his voice telling me to stand down, because I won’t. Not this time. I pick up the envelope again, not to read it but to feel its weight. My name is there, deliberate, like she wanted to make sure I’d see it. Like she wanted to remind me she meant every word, even the ones she didn’t say.
I text Leo.
Jack:I need updates. Now.
He responds within seconds.
Leo:Ari’s digging into Derek’s last 48 hours, appointments, off-book meetings, any alias tied to burner accounts. If there’s a trail, he’ll find it. He’s also watching financials, but so far nothing’s flagged. Still, something’s off with Derek’s calendar, multiple private appointments, no names listed.
Jack:Anyone on the inside?
Leo:Ari has someone watching the lobby at Derek’s office. Guy who owes you a favor. He spotted Derek with someone this morning. Suit. Carrying a black case. No ID badge. No name.
I pace to the window, staring out over the skyline. Every light looks like a warning. I think about the last time Ivy looked me in the eye, the way she touched my wrist, like she wanted to say goodbye but couldn’t bring herself to speak it aloud.
She must have known what Derek was planning. She must have gone straight from seeing me to seeing him, and now she’s gone.
I turn back into the room and swipe everything off the counter, papers, a glass, the keys I haven’t used in days. They hit the floor in a scatter that sounds louder than it should. I dial Ari directly.
"You told me you were close," I say without preamble. "Close isn’t good enough."
"Jack, we’re tracking his travel, his transactions, his proxies. But he’s careful."
"He threatened her. I don’t need careful. I need results."
Silence. Then a breath. "There’s one more angle."
"What?"
"A woman named Rosenthal. Digital forensics. I think Ivy might have reached out to her through Sienna. If we can find her, we might find Ivy."
"Do it. Quietly. I don’t want Derek catching wind of this."
