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“I’ll see what I can do,” Ethan said.
I exhaled and pulled Ella closer to my side. I’d been so pent up after that accusation in the breakroom a week ago. Since our confessions in the car, the elevator ride up, and this breakthrough, I was breathing easier than I had in days.
I pressed a kiss to the silk spot of her temple.
“Is this why you had us come here?” Duncan said. He took one of my leather seats. “You sound like there’s more to your investigation.”
I hesitated. Ethan would be clueless about any of this, soI’d been going to wait until he left, but he was trustworthy. I wouldn’t have him as head of my security otherwise.
I could fill him in about The Pact later.
“I wondered if either of you knew how many guys signed that Pact,” I said.
“Why?” Duncan asked.
He and Maddox swapped uneasy glances. I didn’t blame them. Over the years, we hadn’t talked about this all that much other than the occasional joke.
“You’re going to think I’m crazy, but I think this has something to do with The Pact,” I said.
I pointed to the screen and explained about Pris’s covert transaction and her mention of my bargain keeping Ella and me from being together.
“Whoever Priscilla Malus met with was bribing her to attack Ella,” I said. “Why would anyone want to do that other than the fact that she’s now connected with me?”
Everyone in the room was silent as they thought it over. None of them offered any arguments against my line of thinking.
I’d hoped they would—but I’d also figured they wouldn’t.
Which led me to the most obvious conclusion—something Adrian and I had been attempting to do unsuccessfully thus far.
“We need to disband it for good,” I said.
“Any idea of how to do that?” Duncan asked.
“Adrian had his lawyer looking into it. So far, his lawyer has said the contract wasn’t written in a way thatmakes it enforceable in a court of law. The attacks that have taken place have been more vigilante than anything, which only makes this more dangerous.
“But I’m thinking if those of us who signed it can band together and agree that the contract is nullified, that will send the right message to whoever is doing this.”
Maddox rested a hand on his hip. “Then we agree that it’s nullified.”
I nodded. “And get the rest of the fraters to do so, too. We need to reach out to them. We need to let them know this is happening. Will has attacked Gabby and Bria, and now, he’s targeted Ella from within his jail cell.”
“That’s a heavy judgment call,” Duncan said from the leather seat he’d taken in the center of my office, sounding accusatory and slightly skeptical.
I wasn’t surprised. He was the most logical one of us. Though I knew his abrupt manner was startling to some people, I valued that about him.
“Who else could it be?” I asked.
I couldn’t think of anyone else.
This time, Ella piped up. “How do you know he had anything to do with this, though?”
I peered in her direction. “What do you mean?”
“Your private investigator saw Pris speak with someone, but it may not have been this person, especially not if he’s in jail. It may not be connected at all.”
“She’s got a point,” Duncan added, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.
My frustration simmered. I’d wanted to see all sides, butthis felt too helpless, too much like backward steps rather than the progress I’d hoped we were making.
