Livy took a deep breath and exhaled, as if she was praying for patience. She gave my brother a smile, and instantly, I could sense Liberty relaxing a bit. If there was one thing my sister-in-law and brother had in common, it was their temper. Those babies better watch out.

“What is going on, Layla?” she finally inquired. “You are acting weird.”

Layla scoffed, glancing around us all. “No, I’m not.”

“Is it your grandparents?”

Daniel and I shared the briefest of glances before I focused on Layla, watching for her reaction.

“No. There is nothing going on.”

Livy tilted her head, as if telling her sister to cut the shit. “You won’t go see them, right?”

“No. I think I won’t go for a while.”

What the hell is all this about?

“That’s good.” Liberty kept studying her sister, and the latter shifted on her seat uncomfortably. “Right?”

“Hmmm.”

I'd have to talk to Livy and ask about the deal with Layla and her grandparents. It is obvious something was going on. Yes, I knew she couldn’t stand them, but I got a sense there was a lot more going on here.

“About shopping tomorrow, I can’t do it,” Layla continued. “Maybe the day after.”

“What are you doing?”

Layla took a deep breath. “I just have some stuff to do.”

“Like what?”

“Stuff. Just drop it,” Layla raised her voice a tiny bit. Alexander instantly growled at her. In turn, I growled at my brother. I was reacting, and it happened before I had a chance to think it through.

“Okay, everyone calm down,” my father chimed in. Those were his first words today, besides the greeting. I had gotten used to it and could appreciate it now that I knew his life story.

“Layla, do you know if your grandparents are part of any other foundations besides ours?” Daniel changed the topic.

Layla’s blue eyes raised to meet Daniel’s gaze and a pang of jealousy hit me. If I was honest, it was so much more than a pang. It consumed me like wildfire, burning through my veins.

“I know about their involvement with Wounded Uniform,” she mumbled. “I think they have a part in several others too. But I’m not sure which ones. I’m not much into their business for the most part.”

Daniel chuckled. “They have hands in several big foundations. You haven’t heard of them?”

Layla rolled her eyes. “I guess they have a few. I don’t know. Like I said, I keep out of their business. Aside from the fact that I know they are in your foundation. I’m sure any day now, I’ll hear their complaints and threats because I took the job at your foundation.”

Realizing the words what she said, her face paled. She stood up abruptly and her purse fell onto the ground, its contents splattering all over the ground.

“Damn it,” she muttered as we all got down to help clean it up. Layla frantically rushed to shove them all back into her purse.

“What’s this?” Liberty stared at the piece of paper, her head shifting between the paper and her sister.

I glanced over but Layla snatched it quickly. “Nothing.”

“It doesn’t look likenothingto me.”

“Liberty, let it go. It is nothing.”

“Is someone blackmailing you?” The silence that followed was deafening. I watched Layla’s face blanch at Liberty’s words. Then she forced a smile, but it looked more painful than pleasant.