I waited.
‘Jason.’
Another breath.
‘Argument.’
His hand shifted toward the bedside table, but he lacked the strength to reach it.
‘Phone.’
‘Your phone?’
A tiny nod.
‘Where?’
He looked frustrated.
‘Safe.’
That was all he could manage before exhaustion dragged him under again.
I did not sleep.
At breakfast, Jason behaved as if nothing had happened.
Vivian sat at the head of a table long enough to host a diplomatic summit.
My father sat three chairs away, looking both impressed and terrified by the silverware.
Jason stirred his coffee.
‘The trust attorneys arrive at ten.’
My father brightened.
I noticed.
Jason noticed me noticing.
He smiled.
‘Once the marriage paperwork is recognized, certain financial arrangements can finally be settled.’
Vivian’s spoon stopped against her cup.
‘Claire is not part of your financial arrangements.’
Jason lifted both hands.
‘I meant the trust.’
‘Then say the trust.’
The room went silent.
I looked at my father.
‘Can we talk privately?’
He followed me into a small library.
The second the door shut, I faced him.
‘Why me?’
‘Claire—’
‘You never answered.
Why did one of the richest families in America need me specifically?’
He rubbed his forehead.
‘I told you.
They needed someone quickly.’
‘Who contacted you?’
He went still.
That was my answer before he spoke.
‘Jason.’
The name landed like a stone.
My father looked ashamed.
‘He approached me through one of the people handling our debt.
He knew our situation.’
‘He knew exactly how desperate we were.’
‘He said the marriage would protect Ethan’s interests.’
I almost laughed.
‘Jason said that?’
My father frowned.
‘What are you not telling me?’
I thought of Ethan waking for seconds at a time upstairs.
Nothing in my father’s face convinced me he could keep that secret.
