Page 103 of The Truths We Find

“Sorry to interrupt,” our receptionist Rina says. “Dani, you have a visitor, and Alexa mentioned you were in here.”

“Who is it?” Dani asks.

“He said his name’s Emmett?”

Dani turns to me. “Why would he ask for me?”

“Because my brother is a creator of chaos. Let’s go see what the little shit wants.”

We both get up and make our way to the lobby, but there’s no one there.

“Oh, he asked to meet him in the parking lot,” Rina says, taking a seat behind her computer.

Dani shakes her head with a chuckle. “What the hell is your brother up to?”

I’m not sure, but something doesn’t feel right. Every hair on the back of my neck is standing up. I take Dani’s hand as we move toward the parking lot, but I still don’t see Emmett.

“Emmett?” Dani calls out.

A dark figure steps out from behind a car and my stomach drops. That’s definitely not my brother.

“Nope,” the man says, smirking. “I figured you wouldn’t come out if you knew it was me. And luckily, you have a new receptionist who never met me before I left, so she couldn’t ruin the surprise.”

Dani’s grip tightens around my hand. “Sam,” she chokes out.

“Hey, honey. I’m home,” he singsongs.

I step in front of Dani. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“This doesn’t concern you, Baker,” Sam hisses. “I’m here to see my girl after being gone so long.”

Dani steps out from behind me. “Did you forget the last two phone calls we had? It’s over, Sam. We’re not together anymore. And even if I hadn’t ended it then, it would absolutely be over now, after I learned about your… extracurriculars.”

Sam takes a step closer, and my chest tightens. “I don’t know what kind of lies he’s been feeding you, honey,” he says, eyes darting to me. “But don’t you remember what I told you before I left? You can’t trust anything he says.”

I tighten my jaw, my hand instinctively curling into a fist. Dani’s next to me, shaking slightly, and I can feel the tension coming off her.

“But I can trust a gun for hire for Tate?” Dani spits.

That’s my girl.

Sam’s face drops. “You've been talking to the cops? What happened to you being a journalist who would never give up her sources?”

“Well, when the FBI showed up with pretty damning evidence against you, I gave them free range of our apartment. I didn’t have to hand over a single piece of research, or my source. You dug your own hole.”

“So that’s why it was such a mess when I stopped by first to get this.” He’s holding up a flash drive like it’s a trophy.

Dani’s eyes go wide.

“And judging by that look…” Sam sneers. “You know exactly what it is.”

“How the hell didn’t the FBI find that if it was in your apartment?” I demand, anger bubbling in my chest.

“Because I’m just that fucking good.” He never takes his attention off Dani. “You know, I really did come here to convince you to take me back. Remind you how incredible we are together. And if that didn’t work? Well, I’d fuck with your head again—planting doubts about Baker until you were so confused you’d have no choice but to run back to me. And if even that didn’t work…” He spins the flash drive between his fingers. “Blackmail. You come back home with me, only me… or this video goes public. For the whole world to see.”

Dani hunches over. Then, a sharp, incredulous laugh escapes her. “Are you absolutely insane? I-I legit think we need to get you evaluated.”

“Oh, I’m completely serious,” Sam says. “I’ve been enjoying this video for ten years. Might as well let others too. You really are very talented. Those noises you make… they’ve gotten me through some long training nights.”