Page 2 of Redemption

It was part of the reason I’d jumped at the chance to move to London years ago. That and the idea of putting an ocean between Jackson and me had been both appealing and necessary. But now, I just wanted to feel safe again. Unfortunately, Jackson was also the only person who’d ever made me feel that way—at least, before he’d broken my heart.

“I don’t know what else to do,” Graham said, and it was then I realized how exhausted he was. How concerned he was—they all were. “I’ve tried everything I can think of to determine the fucker’s identity.”

If Graham didn’t have any leads, I didn’t know what to think.

My brother might be the CEO of Huxley Hotels, but he was also a computer genius. He could hack in to anything, though it wasn’t a skill we advertised.

“Even more reason to be concerned,” Nate said, echoing my thoughts. Nate had dealt with his fair share of stalkers and crazed fans. If he was concerned…

“I’ve set up alerts on all the security cameras around Sloan’s home and office,” Graham said. “I’ve tried to have the paper, the ink, the writing—anything—analyzed, but it’s like they’re a fucking ghost.”

“We could swap.” Jasper turned to me. “I know that wouldn’t be your preference. But I could take over in London for a while, and you could come back to New York—or LA, even.”

My brothers watched me expectantly.

I hesitated but quickly vetoed the idea. “What if that’s what the person making threats wants? What if my leaving emboldens them? Besides, what about Edward?”

What about Halle, my executive assistant? She was a young, single mom, and I worried for her safety. Even if she hadn’t been the one receiving the notes, I didn’t like the idea of putting her or her son in any danger.

I could feel my brothers’ collective annoyance buzzing. Mentioning Edward had been like kicking a hive, and now the bees were angry and ready to swarm. They were not fans of my boyfriend, never had been. Graham hadn’t said it outright, but I knew he didn’t like Edward. Nate thought Edward was pretentious and fake. Jasper, well, he said Edward was too cold. And Knox found it strange that Edward and I spent more time apart than together.

I tried to brush off their comments as the misguided, but well-meaning, intentions of protective older brothers everywhere. But deep down, a little part of me hated that they might be right about Edward not being the right guy for me.

I sighed, knowing that what I felt for Edward wasn’t much more than companionship. I’d been trying to talk myself into feeling more for him—love, even—but I couldn’t. And I hated myself for trying.

“Edward is not the one being threatened,” Knox growled, his legendary patience slipping. “And if he cares about you as much as he allegedly does, he should be doing anything to protect you.”

I drew a deep breath. It took a lot to ruffle Knox. In that moment, it hit me how afraid for me he really was. How worried all of them were.My brothers had been searching for this creep, calling an intervention to ensure my safety.

Edward had asked me to move in with him, sure. Had suggested that I’d be safer at his London townhouse than at the Huxley Grand, but I just…I couldn’t. I’d made excuses, put off answering.

I stood, going over to the floor-to-ceiling windows. I peered out at the Los Angeles skyline, marveling at how different it was from London. It might be dazzling and glamorous, but it wasn’t home. And it lacked the character and the history of London.

If I couldn’t bring myself to move in with Edward, what was I even doing with him?

I dug in my heels. On paper, Edward and I made sense. He was successful. Understood the demands of running a large family company. Respected my ambition.

But was that enough for me? Was what I had with Edward enough?

There was no passion. No feeling that I’d die without him, as harsh and dramatic as that sounded. I’d told myself that with passion came heartbreak. That sensible was safe. I’d certainly learned that lesson the hard way, thanks to Jackson.

I clenched my fists, knowing what I had with Edward wasn’t enough. It hadn’t been for a long time. I’d just been too scared or unwilling to admit it. Sometimes it was easier to stand still than to move forward.

But I hadn’t been standing still, not really. I’d been moving backward. I’d been losing myself.

He’d been pressuring me to move in with him. And instead of being overjoyed, I’d been making excuses. But did he truly believe that moving in together would solve our problems? If anything, I thought it would only magnify them.

Edward and I were both busy. I was overseeing the Huxley empire with my brothers, heading up the European and Asian operations. Edward had been groomed to run his family’s banking company when his dad retired and would one day be a member of the House of Lords.

Plus, there were the incessant demands of his family’s social schedule. I stared at my phone screen and the picture of the two of us I’d saved for his contact ID. We were smiling, and yet…that day, I’d spent more time with a team of stylists than with him. And when we’d finally arrived at Royal Ascot—regardless of my making every effort to fit in—his family had still looked down on me.

Despite my fortune, I lacked a title or “genteel refinement,” as I’d overheard Edward’s sister, Lady Amelia, say once. I tried not to let it bother me, but seriously? She was a decorated Olympic Skeet athlete, but she acted like she was God’s gift to humankind.

Graham turned away and uttered a sound of frustration, but it was Knox who came over and took my hands. Knox, who was always kind and nurturing. Who always strove to keep the peace.

“Sloan,” he said, compassion lighting his blue eyes. “I don’t want you to live in fear or upend your life, but you have to be realistic about the situation.”

Nate came to stand beside Knox. Of the four of them, he could probably relate the most to my current predicament. Nate was one of the billionaire heirs to the Huxley empire, like me. But he was a celebrity in his own right, the owner of a Hollywood film production company and an award-winning actor.