Page 43 of The Billionaire’s Contract Bride

“Does she have family nearby?”

“A younger brother living in Queens.”

“Has anyone dispatched a team to check on him?”

Lucien’s silence was answer enough.

“You assumed she was complicit,” Aria said, the realization settling in.

“Her credentials were used in a high-level security breach.”

“That doesn’t make her guilty,” Aria countered sharply. “It could mean she’s another victim being coerced.”

The administrator shifted uncomfortably in his seat, while Lucien maintained his composure.

“Send someone to her brother’s address,” Aria ordered. “Immediately.”

“I take my instructions directly from Mr. Blackthorne.”

“Then call him and get approval.”

“He is currently occupied.”

“Doing what?”

“Extracting information from the guard who accepted the bribe.”

Aria stepped between Lucien and the security console. “While Damien is interrogating someone who may know nothing, a nurse and her family might be in grave danger because all of you decided the simplest answer was the correct one.”

Lucien studied her for a long, silent moment. “You have been married to Mr. Blackthorne for less than an hour.”

“My name is Aria.” She ground out, annoyed that she was Mr. Blackthorne’s wife before anything else.

“And you are already issuing tactical security commands.” He continued, as though he hadn’t heard her correction.

“Is my mother under my protection or yours?”

“Ours.”

“Then act like we share the exact same priority.”

For several seconds, neither moved.

Finally, Lucien reached up and touched his earpiece. “Dispatch Team Three to the Monroe address in Queens. Low profile. Keep it quiet.”

Aria stepped back, letting out a slow breath.

Twenty minutes later, the field team reported in. They found Kayla’s brother unconscious on the floor of his apartment. He had been heavily sedated, but he was alive. A typed note taped beneath his chair instructed Kayla to hand over her credentials and leave the state immediately if she wanted her brother to survive.

Kayla herself was intercepted by Blackthorne security at a transit terminal in New Jersey shortly after.

When Lucien relayed the update to Aria, his tone held a rare note of genuine respect. “You were right.”

“I didn’t want to be.”

“That quality distinguishes you from almost every Blackthorne I have ever served.”

Aria turned back to the frozen frame of the crescent pendant on the monitor screen. “Tell Damien that Kayla had no part in this.”