𝐕𝐄𝐗𝐄𝐃 ❷

𝟑𝟔. ✭ 𝐋𝐔𝐊𝐄 ✭

The walk to my office is an extremely long one without any conversation being had. When I'd gone to find Braxton I had not been expecting to find him with my daughter in the manner that he had been. It was clear that their time here without the three of us, especially Denver, had led them to become much more intimate than his pay grade called for.

The way Adriana had just looked at him left an uneasiness in me because I know my daughter. If he hurts her now, after whatever had just transpired between them, it will cut her to her core because Adriana doesn't let anyone in. My daughter is a lot like me, more than she'd care to admit.

Once we're in my office I let out a long sigh gesturing for him to enter. I close the door behind me but when I hear the sound of a gun cocking I whip around immediately, expecting to see an intruder. It's Braxton that is aiming his gun at me though, looking every bit like he wouldn't mind firing.

"I do not want to harm you for sleeping with my daughter, if that's what you think this is about." He lets out a wry laugh that tells me that this is not at all what this is about. "Braxton, I need you to listen to me. I am—"

"I don't have to listen to a fucking word that comes out of your mouth." The words are growled out at me angrily which does nothing but confuse me. "You killed my mother."

"What?" My brow furrows in confusion. "I did no such thing."

"Don't you dare fucking lie to me. She told me that you had my entire family killed. You, Lucas Warner, killed my family. You wanted every last Marling dead." Now I see what this is about. When I go to move around my desk he jerks the gun in a threatening manner. "Don't fucking move."

"May I?" I nod over to my desk but he doesn't look like he's going to let me. "I think you may be able to get in contact with someone that I am no longer able to." His head tilts to the side like he thinks every word coming out of my mouth is bullshit. "I am working with your brother Tristan."

"Bullshit." I'd thought he'd say as much.

"I lost contact with him after everything went down with Torey. He must've had to ditch the line. My assumption was that he was still here in New York but Brooks confirmed that he's in Albania. That he has been assigned to Daniela."

"It's common knowledge that he's been assigned to Daniela after the shit show your son created the other day." When my son lost his fucking mind because of Tristan— his brother. "You knowing that doesn't mean anything."

"Why is it that you think he gave Brooks his last name? Of all the things your brother could have given him for assurance your brother chose his last name. He chose to tell Brooks that he's a Marling." My words look like they're sinking in. "We are working together."

"Yeah, well that was before he knew you killed our mother. Tatyana told him what you had done to her."

"Your mother was killed in a hit and run accident. It was an accident, Braxton."

"Bull-fucking-shit!" He takes a step toward me. "You put a hit on her! You had her killed!"

"If I wanted all of the Marling family dead then explain to me why I hired your brother. Explain why I hired you." I put my arms down, placing my hands on my hips with, "I gave you both jobs so that I could make sure you didn't end up like your uncle. I saw your brother dabbling around in the lifestyle in New York and you doing the same here. So I reached out to Tristan because my son was entangled with the Albanian mafia and I knew it. I knew it even before my partners did. So I introduced myself to him and set up a job for him, one where he'd be working directly with my son. He kept tabs on him and gave me updates on him, got close to him." As close as my son would let anyone, at least. It's how I knew just how dark my son had to go. I had kept that from Malyssa and Denver until I couldn't anymore. Until everything happened with Dani getting pregnant and her wanting to give the baby away. "Call Tristan and ask him." I glance at the clock. "He should be able to have a phone conversation now."