Page 44 of Dangerous Deception

Anger licks at my thoughts and warmth rises in the back of my mind. What a bold, irritating little man Pascal is turning out to be. I don’t much care how he found out, but unfortunately for him, the second someone tells me I can’t or shouldn’t do something, it becomes the only thing I want to do.

“Around friends and family?” I repeat slowly. “Need I remind you that you, herdearfather, sold her to me? She is my wife, which makesmeher family. So she goes where I go.” I push up from the desk and take a step toward Pascal.

His eyes widen a fraction and once again, he can’t hold my gaze.

“Did you forget the terms of our deal already? The moment we signed that deal, Adelina stopped being your business. You laid downnothingto protect her from me, so frankly, what I choose to do with my wife is none of your damn business.”

“It’s not right,” he mutters gruffly. “She shouldn’t be carted about while she’s grieving. She should remain here where it’s steady and comfortable.”

“Have you spoken to her?”

“Well, no?—”

“Called her?”

“Again, no.”

“Then how do you know what she needs?” I won’t breathe a word about what happened to Adelina with those men, and like everyone else, Pascal will believe Marie died in a car accident. Until I get the answers I need.

“Well, she’s my daughter and she’s never liked to travel. I’d prefer if she stayed where she could reach me easily if she needed help.”

“She won’t ever come to you for help,” I reply coldly. “Again, yousoldher. I hardly imagine her emotional well-being is any concern of yours anymore.”

Pascal’s odd insistence that Adelina should remain here piques my suspicions. He huffs and mutters to himself, causing his mustache to jump about, and anger flashes in his eyes. I’m just not confident I know the cause.

“Besides,” I continue casually. “She’s been helping me with these recent odd occurrences at my nightclubs. Drugs are being used for less commercial reasons. Disappearances that have the cops sniffing around. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

Pascal doesn’t look me in the eye. “Why on earth would you ask me that?”

“Our deal places a line of pharmaceutical drugs into your possession.” My glass tips toward him. “Maybe you’re drugging people to funnel them toward your hospitals?”

“Howdareyou!”

I hold up one hand with a cold smile. “I’m not judging. But it’s the sort of unwanted attention I’d appreciate a heads up about.”

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” Pascal replies sharply. “If you have adrugproblem, maybe you should look closer to home. Drugs are your thing, after all.” He bristles and his shoulders rise, then he snatches his phone out of his pocket and studies the screen. “I have to go.”

“Urgent?” I ask with a heavy tone of disbelief.

“Yes,” Pascal mutters, adjusting his suit jacket. “Give Adelina my love.”

“Do it yourself,” I snap. “Since you’re so concerned about her leaving the country.”

Pascal finally looks me in the eye with a cold look, and something unfamiliar shifts across his face. It’s like he’s holding back saying something explosive. Whatever helps him rein it in must be strong because he says nothing else and hurries from my office like my hounds are nipping at his heels.

I set aside my untouched drink and lightly massage the bridge of my nose.

What the fuck is going on with that man?

“My father was here?”Adelina stands in the kitchen doorway, bundled up in a thick cardigan. Her fingers toy with the edge of the sleeve and she chews on her lower lip while waiting for me to look up.

When I do, she flashes a small smile.

“Yes.” I remove the pan from the heat so the sizzling doesn’t get in the way of her quiet voice. “He didn’t come to see you?”

“No.”

“It was a business talk, mostly. About the nightclubs.”

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