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“She isn’t here,” he said. “You know, I thought better of you, Luc. I knew you were a ruthless businessman. It’s not a secret that your family interprets the law as they see fit, loving to bend it in all kinds of directions but never quite seeming to break it. I knew you were going after my sister to fuck with Dubois.”
“What is your point?” I didn’t have time for this.
“I let it stand because, frankly, I dislike that oily little weasel a fair bit more than I dislike you. But I didn’t think you would be so vindictive when it came to your personal life.”
“I don’t have time for this, Harrison. Where is Amelia? She is mine. She belongs with me.”
“No, she doesn’t. You had your chance to do right by her. You squandered it.”
“Harrison, I swear to God, if you don’t give her back to me, I’ll?—”
“You’ll what? What will you do, Luc? Tell the world I’m a bastard? The product of my mother having an affair?” He leaned in, forcing me to take another step back.
“You knew?”
“Of course I knew. I have known for years. I found out in high school when we tested our blood types.”
He was so calm, so direct, he may as well have been saying the sky was blue. Though right now, clouds seemed to gather above us. “Had I known this was what you used to entrap my family, I would have let you know weeks ago. I intend on making the information public so no one else can use it against me.”
“You can’t. It will destroy?—”
“It will destroy nothing but your hold on my family, and maybe my mother’s reputation, but so be it.” He shrugged.
“What?”
“My father didn’t put me in office, the people of New York County did, and let me tell you a little secret. The people of Manhattan are not all over-privileged elitists that look down on others because of an accident of birth. It will do nothing to me or my career, except maybe make me a little more relatable to the average voter.”
“Look, Harrison, this is fascinating, but it changes nothing.”
“Aren’t you listening? It changes everything. You have no claim to my sister.”
“Please, just let me talk to her.”
A lump formed in my throat, and I could see the future I had envisioned with her and our children slip through my fingers. “I need to at least talk to her. Things may have started the way you said, but they’ve changed.”
“I’m not letting you near her again.” Harrison took a step back so he was under the awning as the skies opened up and rain poured from the heavens. “Besides, she left. You don’t get to know where she is, but she did leave something for you.”
He reached into his breast pocket, pulled out my phone, and handed it to me before turning toward the door.
“What if I told you I think I love her?”
He turned toward me and raised a brow. “Then I think I can’t help you.”
“Stop.” I reached out and put my hand on the door before he could slam it in my face. “Not think. I do love her.”
“You love her?”
“Yes, I really do. She is infuriatingly stubborn, and kind to a fault, and I love her. Tell me what it will take. I’ll do anything. You don’t like the deal we made last night. Fine. I’ll shred that contract with your father’s signature if that’s what you want. You can make that other deal.”
“What other deal?”
“The one with Dubois. It’s fine, I won’t stand in the way of you making a deal with him if that is what it takes to prove to you I love your sister. I don’t give a fuck that you are the DA and her brother. She is more important. I don’t give a rat’s ass that your empire can bolster mine. I want my bride back.”
My chest ached, my heart was beating so fast, and my lungs burned as I held my breath, waiting for him to say something, do something.
“If she wants you, no one here will stand in her way. But if you pursue her after she tells you no, I will personally bring you and your father down on every single charge I can come up with, regardless of whether or not they have merit. I will tie your family and your businesses up in litigation so long your lawyers are going to bleed you dry.”
“How do I find her?”
