One

      “I didn’t know who else to turn to.”

      That statement alone added to the already sickening feeling in the pit of Paisley Morgan’s stomach. As if life hadn’t knocked her down over and over, now she stood on the other side of Lucas Ford’s desk as he continued to glare at her like she had nerve walking in here.

      Well, she did have nerve. After dumping him years ago and never speaking to him since. But that was all in the past. Wasn’t it?

      He leaned back in his leather desk chair and remained silent, and she couldn’t help but second-guess just how much her bold move twelve years ago had affected him.

      Had he not moved on? Found someone else to drive insanely wild with desire just from one piercing blue stare? Had he ever thought of her? Because there hadn’t been a day she hadn’t questioned her decision to let him go.

      Paisley had bigger issues to worry about than their past and what Lucas may or may not be feeling seeing her show up unannounced. Like the fact that her biological father could be Sterling Perry—the man loathed by nearly the entire city of Houston for his scheming, stealing and money laundering. Not to mention he was arrested for conspiracy to commit fraud.

      “What makes you think Sterling is your father, and why should I help you?”

      Paisley gripped her clutch in one hand and the letter from her late mother in the other. “I have reason to believe he’s my dad and I need you to investigate to see what you can find out.”

      Lucas stared at her another minute, giving her a visual lick as he came to his feet. He was still just as ruggedly sexy as she remembered, but those shoulders had gotten broader, the creases at the corners of his eyes deeper and the strong jaw firmer.

      Lucas Ford could always make her breath catch as a young woman and it was no different now, even though years had passed since she’d seen him. Her body responded just the same. There were some memories that were too alive to be pushed into the past. Those vivid moments were always part of her everyday life, no matter how she’d tried to move on.

      “What’s this reason you have?” he asked.

      Paisley swallowed and glanced down to the letter in her hand. She didn’t bother unfolding the paper as she tossed it down onto his desk. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep her emotions in check. Now was not the time to fall apart. Remaining strong in front of Lucas was imperative, especially considering he hadn’t seen her in over a decade. Vulnerability and tears wouldn’t get her what she wanted; what she needed.

      And Lucas was her stepping-stone to finding out the real truth since the obvious choice of her birth certificate had been left blank on the father line.

      If there had been any other way than to contact Lucas...

      He reached for the letter, opened it up and shoved one hand in his pocket as he read. She knew every word written in her mother’s flawless, delicate writing. It was the content that had Paisley so unsettled and questioning everything she’d ever known and what kind of future she’d ultimately have.

      Lucas’s eyes darted back to her. “You believe this? Your mother wasn’t the most—”

      “I’m well aware of my mother’s faults,” she defended. “That’s not why I’m here.”

      Lucas muttered a curse beneath his breath. “I didn’t mean that. Despite what went down between us, I was sorry to hear about your mother.”

      Paisley nodded her acceptance of his apology as another wave of emotions threatened to clog her throat. She’d mentally pushed through the difficult past few months. The flood that had torn through Houston had ultimately claimed her mother’s life and left devastation and destruction in its wake. It had also left an unidentified body on the construction site of one of Sterling Perry’s properties—the elite Texas Cattleman’s Club. Even after all the time had passed, there was still a mystery surrounding the identity of the deceased. There was no ID on the person and no distinguished markings. The entire ordeal was a mess.

      An even bigger mess since the person they thought had died, Vincent Hamm, had actually texted his boss and stated he quit and was taking off for the Virgin Islands. So, clearly a man soaking up the rays wasn’t the unidentifiable body found on Sterling’s construction site.

      Sterling already had issues going on with the whole scheme he had concocted, which had left a good portion of the region’s banking system in an uproar and many families had lost everything they had... Paisley’s mother included. When she’d passed, Paisley had had to use her own savings to pay for her mother’s burial since there had been no life insurance.

      As if dealing with the financial hit of Sterling Perry’s debacle wasn’t enough, Paisley feared for the future of her bridal shop now that she had no cushion to fall back on. But Paisley truly believed she could salvage her future, her finances. If the all-powerful billionaire was indeed her father, maybe she had a chance.

      “I need to know if Sterling is my dad,” she went on. “I know Mom wasn’t the most dependable or honest, but I also don’t know why she’d lie about something like this or why she’d write a letter and never actually give it to me. I found it tucked into a book she’d been reading.”

      Lucas glanced back down to the paper in his hands. “Sterling doesn’t deserve to know the truth if you’re his daughter.”

      “Maybe he doesn’t know anything,” she replied.

      Paisley took in a deep breath and went for the whole truth. “Listen, I know I’m the last person you wanted to see come into your office.”

      “Actually, Sterling would be the last person, but since he’s incarcerated, that’s a nonissue.”

      “As I was saying,” she continued, hating how vulnerable she felt standing before the only man she’d ever loved. “I’m not your favorite person. I get that. If you need to lash out and deal with the past first, fine, but you’re the best in this business and I need your help.”

      A corner of his mouth kicked up. “Been keeping up with me, Tart?”

      A shiver slid all through her at the nickname that stemmed from her favorite candy. He’d been the only one to call her that, but she’d never forgotten. Clearly, neither had he. That instant