Michael shook his head. ‘I didn’t realize that, Grace. I assumed they were acting on your orders.’ He put his head in his hands and they both sat in silence until Michael spoke again. ‘They’re a pair of fucking idiots. But they’re my kids, Grace. What can I say?’

Michael would do anything for his boys, just like she would for Jake. He’d wanted them to choose a different path to the one he had. He’d sent them to the best schools and paid a fortune for private tutors, but it had made no difference. The twins had wanted to be just like him. They’d inherited his temper and his build, but unfortunately not his brains. She knew he must be worried sick about them.

Michael rubbed a hand over the stubble on his chin. ‘I don’t understand why they did it. What the hell were they thinking?’

Grace sighed. ‘Who knows? They thought they were helping me out, apparently. Nathan has been up to his usual tricks, trying to make my life a misery, and they wanted to make things a bit easier for me,’ she snorted. ‘Instead they’ve created a fucking shit-storm.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Michael said again, shaking his head.

‘Stop bloody apologizing,’ she snapped. ‘I’ll handle it. Nathan doesn’t know the twins work for me – yet! So, that buys me some time at least. The boys are safe. They’re at my place in Scotland.’

‘Scotland? What place in Scotland?’

‘I have a place there. I rent it out as a holiday let. Your dad helped me find it when he was up there last year. They’ll be safe there until we can figure something out. As long as they don’t go blabbing about where they are.’

Michael nodded. ‘I’ll make sure they don’t.’

‘Good.’

‘Any other things I don’t know about you, Grace?’ Michael asked.

‘Plenty,’ she said.

Standing up, he walked over to her. ‘And here was me thinking I knew everything about you,’ he said against her ear. ‘What other secrets are you hiding?’

‘If I told you, I’d have to kill you,’ she said and then she pushed him. ‘Get out of here, you menace. You’ve got work to do.’

‘Anything you say, boss,’ he said before bounding out of her office.

Chapter Forty-Four