Page 20 of Broken Destiny

“I’ve seen your car around my neighbourhood. I’ve seen you outside my restaurant. And I’ve seen you following me.” I took a slow step closer, lowering my voice. “Who are you?”

Confusion flickered across his face before unease quickly replaced it. “I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

“No,” I replied firmly. “I haven’t.”

His breathing visibly changed. Faster now. Less steady.

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

“Dominic Peters,” I said calmly. “Forty-five years old. Married. Two children. Works at a bank.”

His eyes widened instantly.

“How do you know my name?”

“I know enough to understand that whatever you’re doing, you’re hiding it.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “So I’ll ask you one more time. Who sent you?”

“I swear, no one sent me,” he said quickly, raising both hands slightly.

“Put your hands down,” I snapped. “Now.”

He obeyed immediately.

“Please,” he said, struggling to steady his breathing. “I have a family.”

“Then tell me the truth.” My grip curled against the concealed gun beneath my sweater. “Because if you keep following me and my children, this situation becomes a lot bigger than you think.”

Fear spread visibly across his face.

“I’m not trying to hurt you,” he blurted out. “I was only hired to keep an eye on you.”

My stomach dropped.

“Hired by who?”

He hesitated.

Keeping my eyes locked on his, I shifted slightly and lifted the edge of my sweater just enough for him to see the gun tucked against my lower back.

The colour drained from his face.

“Your mother,” he blurted out immediately. “Karena Townsend.”

I froze.

My mother?

The words slammed into me so hard I nearly stopped breathing.

Impossible.

“What?” I snapped. “Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not lying, I swear!” he said desperately. “She asked me to keep an eye on you. She wanted information about your life… your children… that’s all.”

My mind spun violently.

Why would my mother spy on me?