Page 115 of Point of No Return

“Shouldn’t you be getting to work, Benenati?”

He chuckles, the sound gruff. It brings back the memory of his voice against my ear last night, groaning as he took every last bit of me. His arms cage me in from behind suddenly, trapping me against the counter.

His lips are feather-light against my neck as he speaks. “One of these days, you’ll still be in my bed when I wake up.”

He knows what he does to me. He knows that all it takes is a few words, and I’m putty in his hands. I want to shove him away- I know I should. But even I can’t deny that if there was even a chance for something like the past couple of days, I want it.

“I’ll see you tonight.” With a chaste kiss against my cheek, he’s gone.

Taking with him my sanity, my ability to reason. And though he doesn’t know it- he canneverknow it- after last night, after what we did, after seeing that tattoo on his ribs, he takes a part of me with him too. Damning it all to hell.

Chapter Fifty-One

Skar

“Ican’t say I’m not surprised that you called to meet with me, Skar,” Charles Orlova waves down a waiter as he says the words, and something about it has me itching to just get home already.

I’m doing this for Charlie, I remind myself, but it does nothing to soothe the itch. “I think after everything, I at least owe you that much.”

His smile is tight, awkward, but when the waiter finally sets a drink down in front of him, the tension eases slightly. “I assume you’re here to talk about my daughter.”

“I’m not.” His mouth parts, and I continue, wanting to ease the poor man’s suffering. “I’m here because I bought you out of Omenin. And I believe that means that the original arrangement my father made needs to be amended, don’t you agree?”

“I- Well, yes…”

“You know I’ve talked with Eva several times already. But I want to hear what you have to say,” I motion toward him, leaning back as the light chatter of the restaurant fills the space. “What do you want, Charles?”

His brows knit together, and he swallows a quick mouthful from his glass before resting his hands on the table. He locks his fingers, a nervous tick.

“Did Eva ever tell you about Charlotte’s birth?” It’s my turn to raise a brow, and he takes it as a sign to continue. “Eva’s pregnancies were always a disaster. We tried for children for years. Charlotte was a miracle- but we knew before she was born that a female heir would… complicate things.”

“Complicate things?”

“I’m sure you’re aware of how difficult it was for my family to make a name for ourselves here. Charlotte was a blessing, but the only way we knew our family would truly endure was to ensure that she married well. You understand.”

I lean forward. “See, that’s where we disagree, Charles. Ensuring your daughter’s happiness is one thing. Ensuring your own is another.”

Charles rolls his thumbs, one over the other, watching me with uncharacteristic intensity. “If I’m not mistaken, you’ve been against marrying my daughter since the beginning. You bought us out and now… What? You want to amend the deal you despised in the first place?”

“Your wife seems to be concerned that I might want a divorce.”

“It’s not an unreasonable assumption.”

Considering I bought him out of any contractual obligations?Maybe not. But considering Eva all but revealed that my mother’s death was my father’s doing, she knows she wouldn’t be able to fight me even if I did.

“I’m prepared to offer you more than just a few shares in my company if you can tell me what it is that my father promised you in exchange for her hand in the first place.”

“Why?” comes his immediate reply.

I harden my stare, watching him carefully. “Call it morbid curiosity.”

His thumbs slowly stop rolling as it dawns on him. “You love her.”

“She lovesyou.Or, at least, she cares enough to want the best for her family. Even after what’s been done to her.”

Charles considers me again, the slow nod of his chin the only indication that he’s heard me. “Your name means power… Consider the sacrifices you might make to keep it that way.”

I’m tired of speaking in riddles, and the frustration of it makes my blood hot. I knew before coming tonight that I wasn’t likely to get any information. But it still means I’m left trying to figure out the mess my father left behind on my own.

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