“And because I want to sleep at night.”

He turned and began packing his files into his briefcase.

I stood up, holding Lily securely against my shoulder.

I walked to the door and pushed it open.

Nathan was waiting in the hallway, pacing back and forth on the plush carpet.

He stopped when he saw me, his eyes scanning my face.

“What did he say?” Nathan asked.

Before I could answer, his phone chimed in his pocket.

He pulled it out and looked at the screen.

His face paled.

“What is it?” I asked, a cold dread washing over me.

He turned the screen toward me.

It was a security alert from the Whitmore estate.

The main gates had just been opened, and the alarm on the private study had been deactivated.

“Richard is there,” Nathan said.

“He’s going to clear it out,” I whispered, my hand instinctively pressing against the keycard in my pocket.

“We have to go,” Nathan said, grabbing my hand.

“We have to get there before he destroys everything.”

We ran toward the elevators, the bright lights of the hallway blurring past.