LORETTA

His expression shuttered down immediately, like iron doors slammed shut before I could access through

Father's eyes turned calculating. "How do you know that?" he asked, his voice dropping low enough to make my pulse spike with apprehension.

I forced myself to keep my expression neutral and unbothered even though I was anything but

“The man who kidnapped me mentioned something like that," I answered, giving him no further explanation. "Before he got shot”

My father leaned backwards in his chair, the leather creaking under his weight. He hummed thoughtfully and rubbed his chin, his gaze never leaving mine.

I watched him while waiting for a response, a knot...