I stared up at him in confusion then looked to Hector, still in confusion. My gaze went back to Brock when he started speaking again.

“Hector worked with me at the DEA. He now works for Lee Nightingale. Lee’s got an operation, bounty hunting, some security, private investigation. I got enough on my plate and Hector owes me a favor. I’m callin’ it.”

“You’re calling it?”

“Yeah. I’m havin’ dinner with Olivia and we’ll talk. But this shit, it’s the last straw. Draggin’ the boys into this, cryin’ and carryin’ on, freaking out Rex, plantin’ shit in their heads about you. And when I got there Joey was freaked too. Said she was drivin’ crazy, flipped them both out, and it didn’t get better when she continued her drama back at the house.”

Mouth tight, he shook his head and continued speaking.

“I am not down with that shit. I’m so not down with it, I’m done with it. I’m not goin’ for joint custody. I’m going for full. And to go for full, I gotta have shit to back that play. Hector’ll find it. Somethin’ on Dade, somethin’ on Olivia.” He pulled in a breath and said, “Sorry, sweetness, but in the meantime, I gotta play her game. I want my move to be a surprise, I want her scrambling, and, bottom line, I want my kids. I’m willin’ to do just about anything to see that happen and I’m gonna need to ask you to ride that out with me.”

Immediately, I nodded.

He took in my nod and smiled. This one reached his eyes.

That smile died and he said softly, “Somethin’ else happened today.”

Fuck!

“What?”

He hesitated, studying me.

“Brock, honey,” I pressed into him, “what?”

“You remember I told you that I knew in my gut Heller was poising to strike?”

Oh no.

“Yes,” I whispered.

“He’s poising to strike.”

“Oh God,” I breathed.

“Good news is, with my old job, got contacts, informants, friends, folks who owe me. Had a call from one who says Heller’s been askin’ a lot about me. Diggin’ deep. So I made a few more calls and found out he’s in my business, financials, credit history, work history.”

My brows drew together. “Why would he do that?” Then I asked, “How could he do that? Isn’t that stuff confidential?”

“You want it bad enough and you got the money then you got the means to do just about anything, find someone who can or buy someone who’ll talk.”

This made sense.

“Okay then, why would he do that?”