Chapter 3 - Daniel’s Enemy Learned I Was Under His Protection—and Decided the Easiest Way to Hurt Him Was Through MeThree days later, my life changed again.
I was working at Laurel Corner Café when a black SUV stopped outside.
Everyone stared.
A man entered.
Not Daniel.
One of his men.
He walked directly toward me.
"Miss Carter."
"What?"
"Mr. Blackwood wants you to leave."
"I have another four hours."
"Not anymore."
The manager approached.
"Is there a problem?"
The guard looked at him.
"No."
Then he looked at me.
"There's a problem outside."
My stomach dropped.
He led me through the back door.
A motorcycle had been knocked over.
Mine.
The delivery box was smashed.
Someone had spray-painted a single word across it.
TRAITOR.
I stared.
"I haven't betrayed anyone."
The guard looked grim.
"They don't care."
"Who are they?"
He didn't answer.
My phone rang.
Daniel.
"Are you safe?"
"Someone destroyed my motorcycle."
Silence.
Then:
"Get in the car."
"I'm angry."
"Be angry inside the car."
I did.
That night, Daniel explained.
His rival, Victor Marlowe, had been trying to provoke a war.
Victor believed Daniel had one weakness.
His mother.
Now he had discovered another.
Me.
"I don't want this."
"I know."
"Then let me go."
Daniel looked at me.
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because they already know your name."
I stared at him.
He continued.
"Walking away won't make you invisible."
"What will?"
"Being under my protection."
I hated that he was right.
But I hated even more that part of me felt safe around him.
That night, Eleanor called me.
"Emily?"
"Yes?"
"Come tomorrow."
"Why?"
"I want to show you something."
I smiled.
"Okay."
But Eleanor wasn't calling simply because she wanted company.
She had discovered something.
Something Daniel had never been told.
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A secret involving Emily's grandmother.
A secret that connected the Carter family to the Blackwood family long before Emily was born.
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