Bound to his Dark Vow

The call

My mother's words stayed in my head long after the call ended.

If Adrian Blackwood is with you, then you are already in danger.

I lowered my phone slowly.

Adrian was standing a few feet away, watching me.

"What did she say?"

I swallowed.

"She told me to leave."

His expression hardened.

"Why?"

"She wouldn't explain."

"What else?"

I hesitated.

"She said my grandfather wasn't the person I thought he was."

Adrian's eyes shifted toward the document still lying on the table.

"She's right."

I stared at him.

"You knew?"

"Not everything."

"Then tell me what you do know."

He remained silent.

I stepped closer.

"Adrian, my mother is frightened. Someone is threatening me. My grandfather's name is connected to your family, and you keep telling me there are things I don't understand."

My voice shook.

"I deserve the truth."

Before he could answer, Daniel spoke from across the room.

"She's right."

Adrian looked at him.

Daniel folded his arms.

"You can't keep her in the dark anymore."

Adrian's jaw tightened.

"You don't get to decide that."

"Neither do you."

For several seconds, the two men stared at each other.

Then Adrian turned toward me.

"Your grandfather worked with my father."

"I know that."

"They weren't business partners."

I frowned.

"Then what were they?"

"Investigators."

The word made no sense.

"Investigating what?"

"Money that was being moved through several companies."

"Blackwood Holdings?"

"Not at first."

Adrian walked toward the desk and picked up the old photograph.

"My father discovered that someone inside his company was stealing money. Your grandfather helped him investigate."

"What happened?"

"They found the person responsible."

I waited.

"But?"

Adrian's expression darkened.

"The evidence disappeared."

My stomach tightened.

"And my grandfather?"

"He disappeared soon after."

I stared at him.

"My family said he died."

Adrian looked at me.

"Did they ever show you proof?"

I couldn't answer.

Because they hadn't.

I had always accepted what my mother told me.

Jonathan Marlowe died.

That was all.

Or at least, that's what I'd believed.

A sudden knock interrupted us.

Claire entered the room.

"We have another problem."

Adrian immediately turned.

"What now?"

She held up her phone.

"The police are outside."

My heart skipped.

"Why?"

Claire looked at me.

"They're asking for Elena Marlowe."

Adrian's expression changed.

"Did they say why?"

"They won't tell me."

Daniel stepped toward the window.

"That's not good."

Adrian looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because the police don't know she's here."

Silence.

I looked at Adrian.

"How could they know?"

Nobody answered.

Then my phone buzzed.

A message.

Unknown number.

I opened it.

My hands went cold.

There was a photograph of me standing inside the Blackwood estate.

It had been taken only minutes earlier.

Beneath it was a message:

Your grandfather made the same mistake you are making. Trusting a Blackwood.

I looked up at Adrian.

He had seen my expression.

"What is it?"

I handed him the phone.

He read the message.

His face became completely unreadable.

Then someone knocked on the front door.

Three slow knocks.

Adrian looked toward the entrance.

"Nobody moves."

The knocking came again.

Three times.

Then a voice sounded from the other side.

"Police."

Adrian's eyes met mine.

And I suddenly realized something.

The person outside might not be there to arrest me.

They might be there to make sure I never leave.