Ruled by her Daddies (Harem of Daddies #1) - Laylah Roberts Page 0,2

something happens to me, text this number. My reporter friend will know what to do with it.”

Was it really a coincidence that he’d said that to her only a few hours ago and now he was dead?

Grabbing her phone, she raced upstairs and opened her jewelry box. It had a secret compartment, which is where she’d stashed the flash drive.

Hidden with it was a piece of paper with a number on it. With hands that shook, she wrote out a text.

This is William’s wife. I have that information. Can we meet?

Her finger hovered over send. If she did this, if she met with this person then that was it. She couldn’t stay here. She’d need to leave. To run.

Like you haven’t thought about running often enough.

But at least this time, she’d have a chance. This time, her father would be too busy with his own demise to worry about her. Right?

She scrunched her eyes tight and took a deep breath. What was the alternative? Stay? What if it wasn’t a heart attack? What if he’d been killed? What if her father knew she’d helped him?

Her gut was telling her to run.

She pressed send.

William was the only one who’d ever dealt with his contact. Would he answer her? What if William had already passed on the information? She rubbed at her head. If he had then there was no need for her to do anything.

Shoot. She’d just have to wait for a reply from his contact. Her heart raced as she grabbed a backpack and hastily filled it with a change of clothes, a nightgown, toiletries, and a few sentimental items. Then she ran downstairs and put the flash drive into a small pocket in her handbag.

She thought about just taking the one bag, but she didn’t want to take everything out of her handbag and some of the stuff in there could come in handy.

Passport. She needed her passport.

She checked the cameras at the front gate. Shit. Just as she’d thought, the press was already here. She chewed her lip. Last thing she wanted was for any of them to follow her.

Think, Vivi.

She had to leave her car here. She’d go out through the back and have a taxi pick her up a block or two away. After ordering a taxi, she pulled on a hoodie. Shifting back and forth on her feet, she stared at her phone wondering why William’s contact didn’t reply.

Maybe he won’t reply. Then what are you going to do?

Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a text. She nearly dropped it.

Thirty minutes. Basement level. Triton building.

She let out a sigh of relief. At least she wouldn’t have to wait long.

She could do this. She could survive.

She had to.

“In breaking news, Lieutenant Governor William Davidson was found dead this morning. At the moment we have no information about whether it was from natural causes. . .”

Wolfe paused the TV, not needing to hear anymore.

So he was dead. She was free.

Jaw tightening, he turned to his laptop. He was in the security center of the palace, a space he shared with Caleb and Aleki. You could easily tell who occupied each space. Aleki’s was a mess of computer parts, food wrappers, and bits of paper strewn everywhere. There were at least fifty photos stuck with blu-tack to the wall behind his desk.

Caleb’s space was neat and tidy. Everything was put away in its place. There was a photo of his parents on his desk and framed certificates hung on the wall. His chair was pushed in, while Aleki’s had spun out into the middle of the room.

Wolfe shook his head and turned to his desk.

It was barren. Empty. Soulless.

Just the way he liked it.

Should he even tell them?

Everything would be easier if people just acted on logic and facts. Not feelings.

It worked for him.

He sent off a text to Caleb and Aleki as he conducted a search for Genevieve. Several images of her popped up immediately. He hated the surge of lust he felt as he studied her, the way his body started to burn.

She didn’t deserve his interest. She wasn’t even worth a fuck.

Yeah, who you kidding?

The door to the office opened and Aleki walked in, bouncing a basketball. Caleb closed the door behind them.

“Wolfie, what’s up? I was off to go beat some princely butt,” Aleki said.

Wolfe raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t Tavi beat you last time?”

Aleki pointed a finger at him. “Fucker cheated. Don’t think I don’t know that he did.” Aleki jumped up on the corner