Page 87 of Revelation (Love Isn't What It Seems 3)

She chewed on her lip, her eyes lingering on mine. Her mother’s blackmail had nothing to do with her grandparents’ stealing money. I hadn’t told Layla that I hadn’t alerted the police, and only my personal security and a private investigator would be there to help us today. I wanted to see how it rolled out before we locked her up.

“I don’t want to see them but I know I have to,” she responded in resignation. “Otherwise, I’ll wonder for the rest of my life why.”

Yes, that’s my woman.

“Good answer,” Daniel commended her. “I have a man already trailing her. She is back on British soil.”

“It seems so surreal,” Layla muttered under her breath.

“I know, but this is necessary,” I assured her. “We can’t have her escape. This is the easiest way to capture her and put all this behind her. Daniel has a cop friend that is willing to let us talk to her alone.” Layla frowned and I silently cursed myself. I could see the wheels turning in her head.

“I don’t know much about police protocol,” she started, her eyes darting between Daniel and I. “But I don’t think he’ll let us talk to her. Friend or no friend, I think he can’t let us talk to her.”

“He will let us talk to her,” Daniel chimed in, leaning back in his seat. His eyes studied Layla, and I would bet money he was deciding whether he could trust her or not. “I have other businesses that are a bit different from Maxim’s and all that you know. It affords me extra privileges.”

Her blue eyes studied him, and it was hard to tell whether she understood what he was hinting at or not.

“Like what?” she questioned him.

“I would never bring you around those businesses and jeopardize you, and I can’t tell you exactly what they are either.”

“Hmmm.”

If she wasn’t good with it, we’d find another plan. But I agreed with Daniel, this was the most effective and expedient way.

“Okay, then I won’t ask any questions,” Layla finally spoke up, her searching gaze on Daniel. “But I would like your promise that whatever those businesses are, they don’t hurt innocent people.”

“I’m not in the business of hurting innocent people,” he replied without hesitation, his eyes locked with hers.

I smiled. Daniel liked her, which was good. Because he was practically family to me. Layla nodded her confirmation.

“Okay, so your friend cop will let us talk to her once we get her and then what?”

“We’ll find out what happened that night, and whatever crime she committed, she’ll have to answer for it,” I told her. “She left her daughter behind. That’s not a small oversight.”

She nodded, but I saw the hurt flash in her eyes, although she was quick to hide it.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Layla

Ishoved the empty envelope into the spot designated by the blackmailer. It was my old school locker in the courtyard of my high school. I never understood why they had lockers outside. I never used it when I was attending school. I guess it waited to be used for my blackmailer. Ironically, they decommissioned use of these lockers my last year of high school, but they left them on the school property because the whole thing was built into the ground and would require a major courtyard redo if they were to remove it.

I knew Maxim’s and Daniel’s men were everywhere, but for some reason I still felt nervous. On one hand, I hoped he was wrong, and it wasn’t my mother who blackmailed me all those years. But then, this plan would quickly go awry. On the other hand, I wanted it to be her, so it would end. The betrayal still sucked.

No, I didn’t want to see her, but I needed answers. I needed to know why. She owed me that much. After all, she managed to get almost a million British pounds out of me since she started this.

I followed the instructions of the investigator that worked with Maxim and Daniel. I walked down the path that would make it appear as if I was leaving. Once out of the courtyard’s view, I shifted to the right and took up my spot.

A hand came to my back, and I knew it was Maxim.

“You good?” His tone was hushed, worry lacing it.

“Yes,” I replied in a whisper. “Just ready for everything to be over with.”

“Just think, a few more hours and I get to fuck your pussy again.” I quickly glanced around us but nobody heard him.

“Maxim,” I scolded him with a wide smile.

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