Chapter 6 - Nobody moved.The silence was so complete Harper could hear the rain hitting the church windows above them.
She looked at Derek.
Then Gabriel.
Then back at Derek.
“What did you say?”
Derek smiled.
“You heard me.”
Harper shook her head.
“No.”
Gabriel's voice was cold.
“Explain.”
Derek's smile widened.
“You've spent years wondering why your father was so protective of that girl.”
“She was his daughter.”
“No.”
Derek turned toward Harper.
“Your mother was Rachel Queen.”
Harper swallowed.
“Yes.”
“Rachel Queen had an affair.”
“With whom?”
Derek looked at Gabriel.
“Adrian Ashford.”
Gabriel went completely still.
Harper stared.
“That's impossible.”
Derek laughed.
“That's what they wanted you to believe.”
Gabriel stepped forward.
“Liar.”
Derek's men raised their weapons.
Gabriel stopped.
Derek continued.
“Adrian discovered Rachel was pregnant.”
Harper felt the room spin.
“He wanted the child.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did my father raise me?”
“Because Adrian was killed before he could take you.”
Gabriel's face hardened.
“By whom?”
Derek's smile vanished.
“Black Wolf.”
Harper looked at Gabriel.
He looked devastated.
“No.”
Derek nodded.
“Your father believed your mother had betrayed him.”
Gabriel's voice was barely audible.
“Why?”
“Because she wanted out.”
Harper's breathing became shallow.
“And James?”
“James took you.”
“He adopted me?”
“Yes.”
“Because he loved my mother.”
Derek laughed.
“Because he loved her enough to die for her.”
Harper's eyes filled with tears.
She looked at Gabriel.
“I can't be your sister.”
Gabriel stared at her.
“I don't know.”
That answer hurt more than anything.
Derek stepped closer.
“There's a blood test.”
Gabriel looked at him.
“Where?”
“On the drive.”
Harper stared.
“The drive from my father.”
Derek nodded.
“He recorded everything.”
“Then why are you telling us?”
“Because I want something.”
“What?”
Derek looked at Harper.
“The key.”
She froze.
“You mean this?”
She held up the key.
“Yes.”
“What does it open?”
“The vault.”
Gabriel narrowed his eyes.
“Which vault?”
Derek smiled.
“The one beneath Ashford Tower.”
Gabriel's expression changed.
“Impossible.”
“It exists.”
“I know every inch of that building.”
“Not every inch.”
Derek looked at Harper.
“Your father built the vault.”
“Why?”
“To hide Black Wolf's records.”
Gabriel's eyes narrowed.
“And you want them.”
“I want what's inside.”
“What?”
Derek's smile returned.
“The list.”
“What list?”
“The list of every person involved.”
Harper understood.
Politicians.
Police.
Judges.
Businesses.
Everyone.
Derek wanted leverage.
Gabriel looked at Harper.
“We leave.”
Derek laughed.
“You think you're going somewhere?”
The lights above flickered.
A deafening explosion rocked the church.
The ceiling cracked.
Derek's men turned.
Gunfire erupted from above.
Someone had attacked the church.
Derek cursed.
Gabriel grabbed Harper.
“Stay with me!”
He rushed toward Noah.
Victor and the others returned fire.
Harper crawled beneath the bullets.
Gabriel cut Noah free.
“Noah!”
Harper threw her arms around him.
Her brother was trembling.
“He kept asking about you.”
“Who?”
“Derek.”
“What did he ask?”
Noah looked at Gabriel.
Then at Harper.
“He asked where Dad hid the second key.”
Harper froze.
“What second key?”
Noah swallowed.
“I don't know.”
Gabriel looked toward the doorway.
Derek was gone.
“Find him.”
Victor shouted, “Boss!”
A second explosion rocked the building.
Stone fell.
Fire spread across the wooden ceiling.
Gabriel grabbed Harper's hand.
“Move!”
They ran.
Outside, rain poured over them.
The church behind them burned.
Harper collapsed against Gabriel's SUV.
Noah clung to her.
Gabriel stood a few feet away.
He looked at Harper.
“I'm going to get a DNA test.”
Harper nodded.
“Do it.”
He hesitated.
“If you're my sister…”
She looked at him.
“What?”
His eyes softened.
“Then I owe you eleven years of protection.”
Harper shook her head.
“I don't want protection.”
Gabriel stepped closer.
“What do you want?”
“The truth.”
He nodded.
“You'll have it.”
A vehicle suddenly screeched around the corner.
Victor raised his weapon.
The car stopped.
An elderly woman stepped out.
Gabriel's face went pale.
Harper recognized her from the photographs.
May you like
Gabriel whispered:
“My mother.”
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