“Your father was under her spell in ways you and I cannot understand. He truly loved her and as a result, she caused him no end of pain, Miss Canfield.”
“Marci. Call me Marci.” Reaching out, she touched his arm. “Were you safe ? As a child, were you okay?”
Her mind reeled with the knowledge that she’d had an older brother all her life and that three decades had passed before meeting him.
He placed his hand over hers. “Yes. I was safe and loved, Marci. I cannot imagine the torment you experienced under the same roof.” Inhaling carefully, he added quietly, “Victoria hates us, both of us. It’s important that you know this, that you fully understand it. She wishes to see you destroyed as she once wished for me.”
From his briefcase, he removed a stack of papers that he handed her. “Here are basic things you’ll need to confirm I’m telling the truth. I want nothing from you, Marci. I have no negative feelings in regards to you or your father. I need you to take what I’m telling you about Victoria seriously. I’m sorry to be the one to bring you such information.”
With a small frown, she took the paperwork and leafed through it. A copy of Owen Douglas’s birth certificate listed her mother’s name. There was no name listed for a father.
The next pages made her heart race in terror. “The day she came to see me, I suspected her latest schemes were not her first attempt to have you harmed. I did some digging. Fifteen years is not so much in the age of technology. I’m friends with a few people who were able to find the following images…from your time in Dubai.”
Her hands started to shake as she took in images of Victoria with the redheaded man who tried to kidnap her. The man she’d killed with her own two hands.
In the photo, they were on the balcony of a hotel. There were several shots of them talking, exchanging money, and finally kissing passionately.
Placing the pages on her desk, she ran for the restroom. Moments later, Danielle entered to help her as she lost everything she’d eaten.
Owen stood at the window, a look of sadness on his face when she emerged. “I’m sorry, Marci. You had to know. Your security team likely sees her as a horrible person but not a serious threat.” Shaking his head, he said clearly, “She is both.”
Danielle looked back and forth between them. She was confused about what had transpired and didn’t know what to do.
Inhaling carefully with her hand over her aching stomach, she instructed, “Get Tyler in here and please let the Ghonims know I need them to come when they are available. Let them know I’m safe but it’s urgent. Don’t frighten them, Dani.”
Nodding curtly, the woman walked rapidly from the room. Seconds later, Tyler entered and unbuttoned his jacket.
“I’m fine, Tyler. I need you to see these.” Meeting his eyes, she whispered, “I know Dad would have told you…about what happened?”
Frowning, her bodyguard took the pages. “You mean in Dubai? Yes, your entire team was briefed.” One side of his mouth lifted in a smile. “Pritchard didn’t want us to underestimate your ability to help in your protection.”
“Look at those.”
Taking them to her desk, he spread out the pages. “Holy shit.” The words were almost inaudible. After several minutes, he met her eyes. “She won’t get past us. However, I never would have thought her capable of going to such lengths.”
Straightening, he buttoned his jacket. “I need to meet with the team.” Inclining his head at Owen, he asked Marci, “You’re alright?”
“This is my brother…Owen Douglas.” Tyler’s eyes went wide. “Victoria hid him from me. God forbid if I’d had an ally.”
“Life with you is never boring. I’ll be right outside.” Nodding to them, the head of her security left the office.
Joining Owen at the window, she stared
“Marci. Call me Marci.” Reaching out, she touched his arm. “Were you safe ? As a child, were you okay?”
Her mind reeled with the knowledge that she’d had an older brother all her life and that three decades had passed before meeting him.
He placed his hand over hers. “Yes. I was safe and loved, Marci. I cannot imagine the torment you experienced under the same roof.” Inhaling carefully, he added quietly, “Victoria hates us, both of us. It’s important that you know this, that you fully understand it. She wishes to see you destroyed as she once wished for me.”
From his briefcase, he removed a stack of papers that he handed her. “Here are basic things you’ll need to confirm I’m telling the truth. I want nothing from you, Marci. I have no negative feelings in regards to you or your father. I need you to take what I’m telling you about Victoria seriously. I’m sorry to be the one to bring you such information.”
With a small frown, she took the paperwork and leafed through it. A copy of Owen Douglas’s birth certificate listed her mother’s name. There was no name listed for a father.
The next pages made her heart race in terror. “The day she came to see me, I suspected her latest schemes were not her first attempt to have you harmed. I did some digging. Fifteen years is not so much in the age of technology. I’m friends with a few people who were able to find the following images…from your time in Dubai.”
Her hands started to shake as she took in images of Victoria with the redheaded man who tried to kidnap her. The man she’d killed with her own two hands.
In the photo, they were on the balcony of a hotel. There were several shots of them talking, exchanging money, and finally kissing passionately.
Placing the pages on her desk, she ran for the restroom. Moments later, Danielle entered to help her as she lost everything she’d eaten.
Owen stood at the window, a look of sadness on his face when she emerged. “I’m sorry, Marci. You had to know. Your security team likely sees her as a horrible person but not a serious threat.” Shaking his head, he said clearly, “She is both.”
Danielle looked back and forth between them. She was confused about what had transpired and didn’t know what to do.
Inhaling carefully with her hand over her aching stomach, she instructed, “Get Tyler in here and please let the Ghonims know I need them to come when they are available. Let them know I’m safe but it’s urgent. Don’t frighten them, Dani.”
Nodding curtly, the woman walked rapidly from the room. Seconds later, Tyler entered and unbuttoned his jacket.
“I’m fine, Tyler. I need you to see these.” Meeting his eyes, she whispered, “I know Dad would have told you…about what happened?”
Frowning, her bodyguard took the pages. “You mean in Dubai? Yes, your entire team was briefed.” One side of his mouth lifted in a smile. “Pritchard didn’t want us to underestimate your ability to help in your protection.”
“Look at those.”
Taking them to her desk, he spread out the pages. “Holy shit.” The words were almost inaudible. After several minutes, he met her eyes. “She won’t get past us. However, I never would have thought her capable of going to such lengths.”
Straightening, he buttoned his jacket. “I need to meet with the team.” Inclining his head at Owen, he asked Marci, “You’re alright?”
“This is my brother…Owen Douglas.” Tyler’s eyes went wide. “Victoria hid him from me. God forbid if I’d had an ally.”
“Life with you is never boring. I’ll be right outside.” Nodding to them, the head of her security left the office.
Joining Owen at the window, she stared
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