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"If he thought you were a witness, he undoubtedly would have killed you," Griffen added, and I was re Sawyer Enterprises, he wasn't a businessman by trade Before our father died and stuck him with all of this, he'd been with the best private security company in the country This wasn't Griffen's first run-in with a killer

"Hey, Griffen— Oh, sorry—" Sterling hovered in the open door, her eyes searching for Griffen

Smoothly, he slid theas he leaned back in his chair "It's okay, Sterling, what's up?"

"I just wanted to let you knoon't be home for dinner"

Griffen slanted her a big brother look, his eyes narrowed on her face I wondered if he caught her swollen lips or the hint of beard burn on her cheeks "Hot date?"

Sterling narrowed her eyes back at hi her blue eyes until she was so beautiful it madeout her tongue, she turned to flounce out of the rooirl she'd been

"Wait a sec, ant to ask you a question about Dad"

Sterling deflated, the spring gone from her step as she pivoted to face us "What about Dad?" she asked, her voice weighted with caution Anything to do with our father had Sterling gathering her ar herself deep inside where she was safe

"Do you reo? Around the ti? Or after?"

Sterling shook her head slowly, eyes focused on the ceiling as if she were flipping through her ht di a lot back then and he was…" She stopped, gathering her thoughts "He was gone a lot Not always overnight, but he missed dinner pretty often I remember that because I'd skip dinner if he was around and eat in the kitchen after the staff went ho roo toopretty well"

I hated knowing that Why hadn't it ever occurred toin the kitchen to eat alone when Prentice was home? Why hadn't we checked in on her? Back then, it had felt like it was every Sawyer for hi Prentice and Heartstone Manor had been est sister, assuht or she would have left too

"Why did you stay?" I wished I'd keptlooked away