Page 76 of Unexpected Heroine

Left nothing out.

Except . . . Viktor.

While I was bawling my eyes out in the corner of the bathroom a few minutes ago, I figured out why words about that monster didn’t make it past my lips.

It boils down to loyalty.

Viktor did more than imply my boyfriend was the reason I was targeted. He flat-out said it was payback. Vanessa’s role in the whole mess supports his story since she was approached by someone asking about me. Not the other way around.

Imagine if I said that in front of Jam... Tomer. He already blames himself because he thinks Vanessa orchestrated it out of jealousy. His rage and need for revenge would be unimaginable if he knew the real reason. He’d never forgive himself.

He may have lied to me about a lot of shit, but I can’t do that to him.

I won’t.

And I won’t let him go and get himself killed or thrown in jail out of guilt.

Then there’s my father to consider, despite his role in all this still making zero sense. If I admitted to the detectives what Viktor said about Papa, would I be opening a hornet’s nest that could taint my father’s memory? I bet they’d start looking into his business dealings to find the connection. While I don’t believe he was involved, how can I be sure? He was able to lie about being my father for my entire life. Who’s to say there weren’t more secrets? Heaven forbid they find a connection between him and the mafia. His name would be tarnished, and he’s not here to defend himself.

Nope. I won’t let that happen either.

So when the detectives stared me down over the kitchen table and asked if there was anything else I could recall, I lifted my chin and confidently said, “No.”

I’m left wondering if I perjured myself to protect the man who raised me or the man who was holding my hand?

Or both?

While we’re eating a light lunch, my eyes grow heavy. Crying always makes me dog-tired. Hence the frequent naps I’ve been taking.

After putting my sandwich plate into the dishwasher, I yawn and stretch my arms over my head.

“Tired, sugar?” Tomer asks.

“Yeah. Can we rest in bed?”

Glancing at him from underneath my lashes, I wait for his response. He’d probably prefer working in his office on his fancy computer setup. This morning, he told me he was letting the cops handle Davidov. But he couldn’t make the same promise about the other man who drugged me and also... well, did other stuff to me.

Apparently, he was the man on the video. His name is Yev-something. And to think, he was so friendly that night at the bar. Davidov was the one who creeped me out the most.

They are both despicable. But Yev sure had me fooled.

Then again, fooling me isn’t much of an accomplishment.

My track record speaks for itself. Let’s see. For starters, my parents, Vanessa, and the man I love. Hell, some random dude at a bar pretending to be nice for an hour barely registers a blip on the fool me once radar.

I exhale and shake off the fog of self-loathing. “Well, babe. What do you say? Nap with me?”

He stares me down, indecision racing behind his troubled eyes.

It’s painful to stay away from him, so I close the distance between us and fold myself around him. He wraps one hand around my shoulder, holding me close. With the other hand, he strokes my hair and twirls the strands around his fingers. A sound escapes him that I can’t quite pinpoint. It’s like frustration and contentment rented a room in the back of his throat and are throwing a party.

It’s obvious he wants to hunt down the men from the trafficking house. After what he saw last night and what he heard me say today, I don’t blame him.

That doesn’t mean I’m gonna let him go without backup.

However, I’m A-OK with him doing his hacking shit. I overheard him tell Detective Patterson he’d do his part to find the missing traffickers.

There was an odd dynamic between Detective Patterson and James. Fucksticks. I mean Tomer.

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