Shattered Dynasty

I thought I was in love.

But I was blind.

Blind to the truth.

I have no excuse for what I did to Ivy. Or to you and your mother.

I was a fool.

It’s the honest to God, ugly truth.

I’m so sorry.

I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me one day. I know it’s not fair that I’m asking you to forgive me.

But I need to try.

Some things are happening. Things I’m afraid to put in writing. I don’t think I’ll make it out of here.

Erin isn’t who I thought she was. I saw her talking to Brad, my cellmate. I think there is something going on between them. I don’t trust either of them.

Something feels off.

I’m going to try to reach you, but if I don’t, please protect Payton. She was my second chance. When I met her, she was a scared little girl. She looked at me like I hung the moon from the sky, like I was her savior, and in a way, I was.

They were homeless, dirty, and destitute. I fell in love with being the dad I could never be to you and Ivy. It was too late by then. You both were older, and I had royally fucked up, but with her, I had a second chance.

I need you to put aside your feelings for me and take care of her. I know that’s a lot to ask, but I know you are a good man.

You are a better man than I’ll ever be.

I used to think your kindness was a weakness I needed to drill out of you.

I was wrong.

I’m sorry.

Love,

Dad

* * *

My heart rattles in my chest.

This is his dying confession.

Emotions I’m not used to gnaw at me.

Guilt.

Sadness.

Regret.

I read the letter over and over again.

What did he mean, Erin isn’t who he thought she was?

I keep reading it, and every time I do, more questions arise.

My father knew he was going to die.

He left the money to Payton because he didn’t trust Erin . . . but he also said to protect Payton, so that means she’s in danger.

Then it hits me . . .

The last piece of the puzzle falls into place.

Dad’s cellmate.

Brad.

I rack my brain for anyone I know with the name, coming up with only one.

Erin’s boyfriend.

Could it be the same person?

Is that why Dad wanted me to take care of Payton? Why didn’t he trust Erin?

A sinking feeling weighs heavy in my stomach as the pieces of the puzzle fit together.

It’s got to be.

All the threats. The accident.

Is it all connected?

I pick up the phone and call Mr. Baker.

“Mr. Aldridge, how can I help you?” he asks.

“Who gets the money if Payton dies?”

“Her sister, why?”

I hang up. I need to find her and warn her.

Pulling out my phone, I try to call her, yet again, her phone goes straight to voicemail.

Something isn’t right.

Before I can think twice, I’m racing down to my garage, guilt and fear running through my veins. I need to find her.

I dial the one person I know who can help me.

When I hear him say hi, I’m already speaking. “I need you to track Payton.”

“Trent, jeez, you’re a dog with a bone,” Jax says. “We already went over this . . . How many times do I have to tell you? I won’t trace her phone, dude.”

“You don’t understand!”

“Calm down.” He must sense the urgency, the sheer panic in me because he relents in an instant. “Come to my warehouse, and we can talk.”

“I’m already on my way.”

“Figures.”

I hang up and hop into my car, weaving through traffic at breakneck speed. It takes me ten minutes before I’m throwing my car into park and stalking toward his warehouse.

He throws open the door the moment he sees me on camera.

“Did you find Payton?”

“Kind of,” he answers.

“What do you mean, kind of?” I storm past him into the large, cavernous space and turn around to look at him.

He types at one of the many computers, pulling up something that looks like an address and GPS beacon. “I tracked her last call to you. Her phone has been turned off since. Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?”

“I think it was her sister’s boyfriend.”

“What did he do?” he asks.

“Everything.”

48

Payton

* * *

A wave of nausea hits me.

I push it down, holding back the vomit. It won’t do me any favors.

Where am I?

Everything around me is black. I’m bathed in darkness. My lids feel heavy, and my head throbs.

I blink a few times before colors finally start to stream in. My surroundings hit me like an avalanche. The darkness is hard to adjust to, but when I finally do, I immediately realize where I am.

Erin’s basement.

The questions threaten to crack my head open. It throbs everywhere. Someone hit me on the head. I don’t know why I’m here, or why it’s so dark, or why I can’t move. I just know it’s bad. That I should’ve told someone where I was headed before I left.