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Chapter One

“I’ll fking kill hilance down at the black wallet gripped tightly inhands

Tell Bob

Oh, my God I have to tell Bob

My gut sinks So many questions will be raised Questions I’m not ready to answer But it needs to be done

This is urgent

I dress as quickly as I can in my sweat pants and tee, pocket the wallet and lance around the rooust

So fking stupid You sure kno to pick ‘em, Cat

My heart races as I think hard about what I’ to say to the man who raised me The man who treats me as his own The man ould kill for me I come up blank

First James, now this I’ll never live this down

I run a hand through my knotted hair and walk down the hall, out of the dore Suddenly, I pause mid-step My heart skips a beat

Act natural Don’t panic

I close e My eyes widen I blink

It’s empty

No one’s here Thank God

I let out a breath I hadn’t realised I was holding and rier I becoinity Yes, he said he was an assle, but I had no idea it stemmed this deep

I thought we had a connection A coht ere one and the same

I rong

We aren’t alike at all He played me like a finely tuned violin And I let him

I’ to erupt and unleash its fury on anything that dares get close enough to it I grit rowl, “Fuck”

I pass lance and throw the kitchen door open But it’s e, “Where the hell is everyone?” The quicker I do this, the better This isn’t sooes away

My chest heaves Panting, I run up the stairs to ns of life It see

The last place I think to look is Bob’s office

Bob My heart stutters and clenches painfully Poor Bob He will not take this well

Shuffling to the office door, I s hard and knock lightly

“Come in,” calls Frankie

I stare down at the door handle aif I should enter at all It would be soin rip the handle and open the door Frankie, dressed in her habit, sits behind Bob’s desk, going over paperwork that needs to be filed

She glances up at ht” One brow rises and she utters huskily, “Or should I say, nailed Mr Hyke” My face burns and she chuckles, “You little hussy Who knew?”

I clear my throat “Is Bob around?”