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“Yes, I knew that. What I didn’t know or expect was that you were married and had a child.” I waited to see how he reacted. The man was tough to read on a good day when I felt somewhat close to him.

Right now, doing so was impossible. Other than a tiny flicker in his irises, he barely registered what I’d said.

“I am not married. What would make you say that?”

“Oh, come on. I followed you.”

Now that he hadn’t expected.

“Well, the truth is that I found you at the nice little house with the bright red door,” I corrected. When he allowed the surprise to continue on his face, I felt vindicated. As if I’d scored a point. But what kind of dangerous game was being played? “That application you put on my phone? Well, what you likely didn’t know was that all I needed to do was make a few little changes and was able to locate your position.”

I grinned, lifting my glass of wine.

“Aww. You didn’t know that? I thought in addition to all your other talents such as identifying military-grade bombs and law enforcement tactics that you could add technical guru onto your resume. I guess not. Anyway, I saw you with her. Lovely little girl.”

“You don’t know what you saw.”

“Oh, no?” I threw at him. “Enlighten me. Don’t lie. I don’t take kindly to lying sacks of shit. I had that my entire life from a man I was stupid enough to think I loved. And that’s not you.”

He took a deep breath, but didn’t seem bothered in the least. However, he did shift his glass back and forth from one hand to another. “That’s my sister and her little girl. I haven’t seen them in over two years. She’s a good egg, a nurse. I’m her criminal brother she tossed from her life.”

“Your sister yet no one knows about her. Right?”

“Do you think I’m stupid, Firesong?”

“Don’t you fucking call me that. I’m nothing to you but a pawn like I am to my father. I won’t take it any longer.”

“Fine. I’m not an idiot. Any single weakness than a man in my position has can be used against me. With the things I’ve done to protect your father and his regime, don’t you think there’s a tremendous number of people who wouldn’t mind using an innocent woman and child to get to me? Do you have any idea what they do to victims they’ve captured?”

I cringed and sensed my distaste was showing through my false bravado.

“Do you? It’s not like the movies, Carmella. Ransom money isn’t provided and they’re freed. There’s no cavalry of police officers who give a shit about saving them. And often in the case of crime syndicates, the leaders of those organizations must pick and choose who they save. Collateral damage isn’t worth their time. I would not allow my sister and that beautiful, bright, loving little girl to face possible torture. Just like I would die in order to protect you and Gabriel. Call me anything you want and it’s likely true, but I won’t allow you, my sister, or two innocent children to be used in a twisted war.”

I sucked in my breath, praying that I could tell by the look in his eyes alone as to whether he was telling me the truth.

But the man was a damn good liar. That was also a required attribute for anyone advancing in my father’s world.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

He laughed so harshly I winced. “Because as you just said. You’re your father’s daughter. Right?”

“Oh, my God.” I jerked to my feet. “Do you really think I’d allow anything to happen to your sister and niece? Not for any reason. Now you don’t trust me? I’m not the one keeping things from you.”

“Are you so certain about that? What about whatever Derek did to you? Didn’t he hurt you, threaten you?”

“So what?”

“So what? So no man will ever be able to try and terrorize or hurt my wife again. I’ll need to have a second long conversation with the pig, but I doubt he’ll like the outcome.”

“You will not touch him.”

“I’ll do exactly what I want when I want. Including with my wife. Did he hurt you? Tell me.”

The man was infuriating and I was overwrought.

“Yes, but only once. At least physically. I left him after that. I won’t live in misery.” The admittance was far too easy to do.

“Good for you. Now you’ll never have to feel that way again.”

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