Chapter 7 - Fractured Loyalties
Elena’s heart slammed against her ribs like a trapped bird. Her father had known. The entire romance had been surveyed, documented, and cataloged long before Cole had ever bumped into her at that downtown coffee shop. The grief, the betrayal, and the terror for her brother collided inside her chest, nearly knocking the breath from her lungs.
""Elena! Hurry!"" Cole's desperate shout echoed from the front hallway, followed by the sound of wood straining against metal. Vanessa was pushing against the door.
Elena folded the paper into her pocket, gripped the black drive tightly in her fist, and retrieved the heavy knife from the hallway runner where she had dropped it. She walked back into the living room, her eyes fixed on Cole’s back as he braced the door with all his weight.
""I found it,"" Elena said, stepping into the dim light.
Vanessa's face brightened through the cracked entryway. ""Smart girl. Slide it through the chain. Then we go downstairs together and get your brother.""
""No,"" Elena said, her voice terrifyingly steady. She held the drive up so both Cole and Vanessa could see it. ""Cole, look at me.""
Cole glanced over his shoulder, sweat beading on his forehead. When he saw the expression on her face, the blood drained completely from his cheeks.
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""My father left a note inside that box, Cole,"" Elena murmured. ""He knew who you were. He knew why you came.""
Cole stared at her, horrified. Before he could speak, the front door violently splintered inward as a heavy boot kicked it from the outside, ripping the security chain clean out of the plaster wall.
