Kian (Undercover Billionaire, #1)(30)
Sal again cleared his throat before he finished.
“I truly am sorry for what I did, Roxie. I thought I hated you, thought I’d sought the perfect revenge, but now I’m devastated at what I did. Don’t blame Lily for my mistakes, and don’t let her go. You two need each other. We’re the end of the line, and our family needs to continue to show the world that our destiny isn’t decided by where we’re born, but by what we make of ourselves. I love you more than I can ever express. I hope I’m the one to read this letter to remind myself of who I can be instead of who I’ve always been, but if you’re the one hearing it, then go home to Kian and be a mama to my babies. And, also, it’s okay to cry about this situation, and to mourn me, but don’t do it too long because I want you to be happy that I grew up and didn’t turn into the same kind of parent as our father. I woke up, Roxie, and I loved big, and my Lily loves me. That’s so much more than many people in this world can ever say. So, continue the love with Lily, and you and she will save each other.”
Sal turned and gazed at Kian directly.
“And for Kian Forbes, wake the hell up and stop your destructive behavior. You have a daughter to set an example for now. And everyone in this damn town knows you are head over heels for my sister, so suck up some pride and tell her. She will forgive you for your transgressions, if you ask. It was a great night, baby, and I don’t regret it for a second because you gave me Lily, which gave me my life back. Carry on, people, and live. I believe in ghosts, and I will be haunting your asses if you don’t do what I say.”
Sal stopped, and Roxie waited for him to go on, but he was silent as he shut the folder. Roxie didn’t know what to think or say as she sat there a little stunned. Her sister certainly had enjoyed writing that letter.
“Do they know who this Greg is?” Kian asked, murder in his voice.
Roxie turned to look at him, and he was now standing, his body tense, his hands clenched into fists. He looked capable of murder at that moment, and though Roxie knew he was mad at her, she was certainly glad she’d never put that light into his eyes.
“No, there are no pictures, no real name, and no evidence,” Sal said.
“But the police are investigating,” Kian demanded. It wasn’t a question.
“Yes, but Pamela didn’t have a lot of clout, and it’s not high profile,” Sal said. That’s when Roxie noted the bit of smugness in his eyes. She almost smiled. She now knew that the power of the Forbes name would go into this investigation. The mother of Kian Forbes’s daughter had been brutally murdered. The killer would be found. That gave Roxie the slightest sense of peace.
“It hasn’t seemed real until now,” Roxie said quietly. “Can I have a copy of her letter? I want to read it again . . . privately,” she said, the last word coming out a whisper.
“I want a copy as well,” Kian said, his voice not quiet at all.
Sal pulled two copies out of his desk, obviously anticipating their requests. “She told me to read this out loud with both of you in the room. She wanted to make sure you heard her final words. I’m sorry for your loss, and again sorry I didn’t do anything to help her,” he said.
“She made a lot of mistakes in life, but at least she was trying to make up for that,” Roxie said, quick to defend her sister now that she was gone. “And she’s reached out to me a lot in the past few years, and I was only barely interested. I have a lot to make up for with Lily.”
“She’s not your redemption,” Kian snapped. His words made the hair on the back of Roxie’s neck stand up, and she jumped from her seat as she turned to face him.
“I know that,” she yelled. It felt good to feel anger instead of fear, anguish, or guilt. “I might have abandoned my sister, but Lily is my blood, too, Kian, and you can’t take her from me no matter how much power you wield. Pamela kept her from you out of fear. Are you going to prove her right and take away my only living relative?” she challenged.
His eyes glowed hot embers as they glared at one another. She didn’t back down, and neither did he. This might just get nuclear before one of them put up the white flag.
“Yelling certainly won’t get us anywhere,” Sal said, trying to get in between them.
“But it sure as hell feels good,” Kian snapped.
“Yeah, that’s about all we agree on,” Roxie said.
“You two have to put aside your differences for the sake of that precious girl out there,” Sal told them.
Neither of them was anywhere near ready for compromise.
“She’s my daughter and should be raised by me,” Kian thundered.
“You didn’t know about her, or want to know. At any time, you could have checked in on my sister and been aware she had a child. You’d rather live in the dark. For that matter, you better go down the long list of women you’ve screwed to see how many miniature Forbeses are running around out there.”
At those words, Kian flinched, finally breaking the glare between them. Instead of her words feeling like a victory, they cut the inside of her heart. She might have been yelling them in anger, but the frightening reality was that he could have more kids. This man she had loved so much had turned into nothing more than a slut who didn’t care to even remember the names of his conquests. She was feeling more and more shattered by the second.