The elevator doors opened completely.

A woman stood inside.

Claire forgot how to breathe.

The resemblance wasn't exact.

But it was enough.

Blonde hair.

Similar height.

Similar eyes.

The woman looked older than Claire by perhaps five years, and there was a thin scar near her jaw.

Adrian didn't move.

"Elena."

The woman smiled without warmth.

"Hello, Adrian."

Claire looked between them.

"You know her."

Adrian's security man moved forward.

Elena raised both hands.

"I'm unarmed."

"That doesn't mean you're harmless," Adrian said.

Claire stared at him.

There was history in those words.

Bad history.

Elena stepped out.

Her attention shifted toward Claire.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Getting you involved."

Claire laughed once, without humor.

"That's not an explanation."

"No."

Elena glanced at Adrian.

"But I doubt he'll give you one."

Adrian's jaw tightened.

"Vincent."

The security man looked at him.

"Clear the terrace."

Elena laughed.

"There he is."

Claire turned toward Adrian.

"Don't."

He looked at her.

"Don't what?"

"Start ordering everyone around because you're uncomfortable."

For one strange second, he almost smiled.

"You're learning quickly."

"Answer my question."

"Which one?"

"All of them."

Adrian looked at Vincent.

"Give us five minutes."

Vincent hesitated, then moved away.

Adrian gestured toward an empty private dining room.

"Inside."

Claire raised an eyebrow.

"That sounded suspiciously like an order."

"Would you please join me inside so I can explain why someone has apparently been following you?"

"Better."

Elena laughed.

Adrian ignored her.

Claire followed them into the private room.

Natalie and Megan came too.

Adrian didn't object.

That surprised Claire.

He closed the door.

"Elena is my cousin."

Elena's eyebrows rose.

"Starting with the least complicated truth."

Claire looked at the photograph again.

"And the blood?"

"Mine," Elena said.

Claire turned.

"What happened?"

"Someone tried to kill me."

Claire looked at Adrian.

"He stopped them?"

Elena nodded.

"He nearly died doing it."

That didn't match the threatening message.

"Then why did someone tell me to ask about the last woman he protected?"

"Because whoever sent that message wanted you afraid of him."

Claire studied Adrian.

"Should I be?"

Adrian didn't answer immediately.

"Sometimes."

Everyone went silent.

Claire hadn't expected that.

"That's not reassuring."

"You asked for truth."

"Are you dangerous?"

"Yes."

"Are you a criminal?"

Natalie whispered, "Claire."

Adrian's gaze never left hers.

"Yes."

Megan nearly dropped her glass.

Claire stared.

"What kind?"

Elena sat down.

"This should be interesting."

Adrian ignored her.

"My family has controlled shipping interests along this coast for decades."

"That's a very elegant way of avoiding the question."

"Some of those interests are legal."

"And the others?"

"Are becoming legal."

Claire laughed in disbelief.

"Oh, that's comforting."

"I'm not asking you to be comfortable."

"Good."

Adrian nodded.

"Good."

She hated that answer.

She also respected it.

That was worse.

"Are you mafia?"

Adrian held her gaze.

"People use that word."

"Do you?"

"No."

"What word do you use?"

"Family."

Elena snorted.

Adrian gave her a look.

Claire paced toward the window.

She should leave.

Everything about this was insane.

She had come to South Carolina for Natalie's birthday weekend.

She had planned cocktails, beaches, and perhaps flirting with someone forgettable.

Not this.

"Why am I being followed?"

Adrian answered.

"I don't know."

"Why did you know my name?"

Silence.

Claire turned.

"Adrian."

"I saw your photograph yesterday."

"Where?"

"A file."

Her stomach dropped.

"What file?"

Adrian took out his phone.

He opened an encrypted message and placed it on the table.

Claire saw her photograph.

Name.

Age.

Home address.

Occupation.

Family information.

Travel itinerary.

Her entire life condensed into bullet points.

"Who made this?"

"We're finding out."

"You had this yesterday and didn't warn me?"

"I didn't know if it was real."

"Then today you saw me."

"Yes."

"And instead of telling me, you sat there taking notes?"

For the first time, Adrian looked almost embarrassed.

Elena started laughing.

Claire turned on her.

"This is funny?"

"Only that part."

Adrian rubbed his jaw.

"I was going to tell you."

"When?"

"After your friends stopped discussing your dating requirements."

Claire stared.

Megan whispered, "In fairness, that conversation was getting long."

Claire shot her a look.

Megan immediately became silent.

Adrian picked up his phone.

"The file was sent anonymously. It included one instruction."

"What?"

He showed her.

WATCH HER.

Claire felt cold.

"Why you?"

"I've been wondering the same thing."

Elena stood.

"Because someone knows what he'll do."

Claire looked at her.

"What?"

"If Adrian thinks you're in danger, he won't walk away."

Adrian's expression darkened.

"Elena."

"What? She deserves honesty."

Claire remembered her own words.

Someone who doesn't disappear when things get hard.

She almost laughed at the absurdity.

Instead she asked, "Who wants me watched?"

Elena looked toward Adrian.

"I have a theory."

"No," Adrian said.

"You're going to have to tell her eventually."

"Not until we know."

"Know what?"

Adrian remained silent.

Elena answered.

"Whether your father really died when you were twelve."

Claire stopped breathing.

"My father died in a boating accident."

Elena's expression softened.

"That's what you were told."

Claire shook her head.

"No."

Adrian moved toward Elena.

"Enough."

Claire stepped between them.

"No. Not enough."

She faced Elena.

"Explain."

Elena reached into her handbag.

Vincent immediately entered the room.

He must have been watching through the glass.

"Hands where I can see them."

Elena rolled her eyes.

"Relax."

She slowly removed an envelope.

She placed it on the table.

Claire recognized the handwriting immediately.

Her father's.

Her hands began trembling.

The envelope read:

FOR CLAIRE.

"If this is some sick joke—"

"It isn't," Elena said.

Claire opened it.

Inside was a photograph.

Her father.

Much younger.

Standing beside another man.

Claire looked at Adrian.

The other man had Adrian's eyes.

"Who is that?"

Adrian answered quietly.

"My father."

On the back of the photograph were six handwritten words.

IF THEY MEET, EVERYTHING COMES BACK.

Claire looked up.

"What comes back?"

Before anyone answered, Vincent's phone rang.

He listened.

His expression changed.

"Adrian."

"What?"

"The men downstairs are gone."

"Find them."

"We have another problem."

Vincent turned the phone around.

Security footage showed a man walking down the hallway toward Claire's hotel room.

He carried a key card.

Claire stared.

"Who is he?"

Adrian went pale.

Elena whispered, "That's impossible."

Claire looked at her.

"Who?"

Elena stepped closer to the screen.

The man stopped outside Claire's room.

Then he looked directly into the security camera.

Adrian said his name.

"Thomas Bennett."

Claire's knees almost gave out.

Because Thomas Bennett was her father.

And Claire had watched them bury him seventeen years ago.