Chapter Twelve #3
“Kiera, one dance. That’s all I ask.” She narrows her eyes at me, suspicion written all over her face, but after a moment, she gives a tight nod.
I slide a hand to her waist and pull her in, closing the last of the space between us as she rests her hand on my shoulder.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you,” I whisper, keeping my voice low, “how much do you know about your dad?”
Kiera tips her face up toward me. “I know enough, but also not enough. I know he’s responsible for my mom’s death. I know he's shady, but the details? I don’t know that.” Her fingers tense slightly against my shoulder, and her eyes skate past mine for just a second too long. She’s hiding something.
“Have you ever heard of Cicada?” The word is barely out before she jerks away from me, our hands falling apart mid-step.
Kiera’s face goes still, her eyes falling wide like a deer caught in headlights. “How do you know about that?”
Before I can answer, the music cuts out mid-beat, and the same song from the emails floods the ballroom.
I pivot toward the stage. A video flickers to life on the massive screen—grainy footage of Wade and Evelyn arguing on the night she was murdered.
The room goes quiet enough that every raised voice from the recording seems to echo.
Wade stands off to the side, staring straight at me.
I turn back to Kiera. She’s gone, already back on stage.
“I am so sorry for that.” Her voice is tight but steady as she apologizes.
“It seems someone is trying to hurt my father. Despite the video you just saw, he loved my mom dearly. Let’s remember the kids we are here for.
We are going to start the auction early and call it a night.
” Kiera steps away from the mic and walks offstage, disappearing through the double doors.
I trail her through the doors and spot her already with Lila.
She’s laughing at something, posture loose, not a hint of the shaken girl who just faced a room full of vultures.
She knows more than she’s letting on. I head back into the ballroom and zero in on Wade.
“Did you find them?” he asks the second I’m close enough to hear him.
I shake my head. “No. But this place is sitting behind a heavily encrypted firewall. Whoever pushed this video through? They were inside tonight.” Moving closer, I lower my voice, “Do you have a guest list from tonight—and from the first time this happened? I can cross-reference them and narrow down the overlap. It’ll put us that much closer to finding whoever’s pulling the strings. ”
Kiera appears at Wade’s side a few seconds later. If she caught any of what I just said, she doesn’t show it. “Dad, I’m sorry. I don’t know how they could’ve done that,” slipping into the role of dutiful daughter. “The system’s been upgraded since the last event.”
“It’s okay, how could you have known?” Wade pulls her into a hug that’s all for show.
“Go home and get some rest. I’ll try to save face here.
” Kiera offers a small, practiced smile and turns away.
“You too,” he adds, his gaze cutting back to me.
“I’ll email the list now. Find them.” I nod once and fall into step after Kiera.
Before I can make it to her, her taillights are already disappearing down the drive. “You missed her.” Lila steps out from around the corner, arms folded. “What do you want with her? She’s been through enough. She doesn’t need whatever you and Wade are up to.”
“Honestly? I don’t know.” I meet her gaze, not bothering to soften it. “I just know I want her. There’s no secret agenda, but I’m not going to stand here and pretend I’m a good man.” My mouth quirks, humorless. “What I can promise is I won’t hurt her—at least not in a way she doesn’t ask for.”
“You’re an ass,” Lila states flatly. “Just know she’s not the only one with a violent streak.
Don’t fucking hurt her.” Her jaw tightens, eyes gone hard.
“Ash...” She pauses like she almost let something slip.
“Someone else did, and I didn’t get the chance to fuck him up.
You, though?” She leans in just a fraction. “I will gladly hurt you for her.”
“Who hurt her?” I press on, the question coming out sharper than I intend. An irrational surge of anger spikes under my skin, hot and unfamiliar. What the fuck is wrong with me?
“Not my place to say. You want to know, ask her. Good luck, Sterling.” Lila turns on her heel and slips her arm through the one offered by a man I don’t recognize, letting him lead her back toward the glow of the ballroom.
I head for my truck, the night pressing in around me as I drive home with more questions than answers.
Thirty minutes later, I push into Cam’s room. His monitors glow in the dark, lines of code and camera feed reflecting in his glasses. “They’re getting ballsy, dropping more clips now,” I say by way of hello. “Wade emailed me the guest list from both events. Can you see who showed up both nights?”
“Sure, I’ll get it to you ASAP,” Cam says, already pulling up the attendee lists on one of his screens. I switch my focus over to the camera feeds and find Kiera climbing into bed. An idea sparks, curling my mouth into a grin. See you soon, Thorn.