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“Kev? Everyone. I’ve tapped into Langley’s emails and just received one from Lawrence Beauvois. He wants to meet with Carter and Aurora this week. He said if he doesn’t get Aurora to agree to marry him, he wants his two million back.” Sonny frowned.
“Well, well, well. This just got very interesting.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Aurora was spending extra sessions with Shep and Ashley. When she wasn’t with them, she was talking to Winter, Erin, Alexandra, and other women on the property. Jethro watched her as she ate lunch at the table full of women.
“She doing okay?” asked Ham.
“I think so. She still has an occasional nightmare but it’s better.” He was quiet for a moment, then looked at Ham. “Is it ridiculous of me to be jealous that she talks to everyone except me about this?”
“No,” smirked Ham. “Not at all. She might be embarrassed to tell you everything that happened.”
“I have a pretty damn good idea,” he frowned.
“Pretty good idea and graphic detail are two different things, Jethro. Don’t push her on this,” said Hiro taking a seat beside him. “The things that Winter’s family put her through, her grandfather and those around her, was beyond what my imagination could have dreamed up. When she finally told me, I almost fell apart.”
“Damn,” muttered Jethro. “I’m sorry. She seems so great now.”
“She is. Now. It took a long time, brother. You have to be patient with her.” Gaspar leaned toward the table from his own seat, Ghost, Ian, and Nine as well.
“Alexandra’s wounds told me all I needed to know,” said Gaspar. “When the doctors told me what she’d been through, I couldn’t imagine recovering from that. But given time, therapy, and love, she did. I proposed to her before we ever made love to one another.”
“I can see myself doing that,” said Jethro. “I know it’s too soon but I just know she’s the woman for me.”
“Then be patient,” said Ghost. “Grace arrived at our clubhouse so badly beaten I wanted to kill everything in my path. But that wouldn’t have helped her. I let the boys find the man that did it and I stayed by her side. That’s what you need to do.”
Jethro nodded, taking a bite of his food. Christopher, Kai, Sonny, and Kev walked in and directly to their table.
“This just got bigger than we thought,” said Kai. “The five in the cannery fire were former employees of the Langley household. Aurora has an inheritance and trust that is hers to claim but we think there’s a catch in it somewhere.”
“What kind of catch?” frowned Jethro.
“We’re not sure. The boys are looking into it along with legal. The Langley’s are working with two men, Dustin Morgan and Lawrence Beauvois.”
“Wh-why?” whispered a tiny voice behind them. They all turned to see Aurora’s blanched face. “Why would they talk to them?”
“Honey, we think your folks are trying to get you to marry them,” said Jethro deciding instantly that honesty would be best with her.
“I know. I mean, they were trying to force me to marry them out of high school. They’re horrible men. Both of them. Their parents were in my parents social circle but they were drunks and abusers of women. Lawrence cornered me once at a holiday ball, pushing himself on me. I was just sixteen.”
“What happened?” frowned Ham.
“I kicked him and got away but he was laughing at me. When I told my parents they said it was just what men do when they like you. I made it a point to avoid him after that.”
“He claims your father owes him money,” said Kev.
“Why would he owe him money? My parents have a lot of money,” she said frowning at him.
“Aurora, we think your folks are in financial trouble. There’s evidence of it all over the house. Paintings sold, china sold, even some of your mother’s jewelry. Many of the staff members have been released as well,” said Christopher. He looked at Ham, then at Jethro.
“What? What was that look? What else?” she asked.
“Aurora, the five victims in the cannery fire were all employed by your parents.” Aurora’s knees buckled and she slunk into the arms of Jethro.
“No,” she whispered. “I turned our team back. They might have been saved.”
“We would have died,” said Jethro. “You did the right thing. Besides, we think they were dead when they were put in the cannery. They’re running toxicology on them now.”
