Page 49 of Lord of the Dark

"You should be thanking me." He leaned back, voice dripping with smugness.

"Thanking you?" I scoffed, my mouth and eyes flying open in shock at his audacity. "I asked for the truth, yes. But you—you’re a rat, slithering into every crack of my life. So what exactly should I thank you for? For making Carter completely dependent on you?"

"A rat?" He arched a brow. "Your boyfriend is the one driving his company into financial ruin. Without me, his business would already be history."

"Oh please—yes, of course. You’re the epitome of selflessness!" I shot to my feet, my voice cracking with rage. "You manipulate everything. You pull the strings so I—so I—"

"So you see the truth?" He cut me off. "Or so you finally understand that I’m not the one lying to you?" Alessandro sat perfectly composed, one ankle casually resting on his knee, watching as I paced the room like a caged animal.

His infuriating calm drove me mad. "No!" I hissed in his direction. "So I’d run into your arms."

"Carter’s been lying to you this whole time. He told you nothing about his ruin, nothing about the investors. And yet you’re putting on a show for me?"

"That’s not the point."

"Then what is the point?" His gaze turned flint-hard.

"What you did was a power play! You didn’t just manipulate my professional life—you dragged my boyfriend into dependency." I glared at him, naked hatred in my eyes. "You want to control my entire life, you vile—"

"Are you actually worried about Carter?" he asked with venomous calm, eyes pinning me. "Or are you furious because your control issues don’t work on me?"

"I hate you," I spat, jabbing a finger toward him.

Suddenly he stood—so fast I flinched. In three strides, he was in my space. "You came to my office, rifled through my files, and knew exactly what you were looking for." His quiet tone was more dangerous than any shout. "You wanted leverage. And you’re angry because I’m seven moves ahead. People have disappeared for far less, by the way."

"Save your threats—they don’t work on me." I turned away, shaking my head, barely containing my rage. "You drive me insane."

"Then leave! Get out, Fiona!" he snapped, jerking his chin toward the door.

I hesitated. Wanted to go. To finally leave this madness behind. But every fiber of me refused to take even a single step toward that exit. A furious scream tore from my throat—because I hated him for holding up that mirror so perfectly. He knew damn well it was already too late for me. Knew how badly I wanted to walk away, to erase all of this. To return to my old, boring life.

But there was nothing left of that old life after the short time I'd known him. And I couldn't tear myself away anymore. I needed him far too much.

I turned to face him, and just his arrogant look alone sent my blood pressure skyrocketing.

"Yes, I thought as much." He practically savored the superiorityin his own words. "You need me like fucking oxygen to breathe."

My nails dug painfully into my palms as I clenched my fists. "Just who the hell do you think you are?" I hissed.

Alessandro stepped closer. "I'm the only one you can't fool. Twist and turn all you want—by now, I know you better than you know yourself."

"You don't know me at all!" I nearly screamed the words.

He stepped even closer, so near I could feel his body heat. "What really happened to your father? He disappeared when you were still a teenager. There's not a single trace leading to him."

My heart nearly stopped, shock freezing me in place. How had he uncovered that?

My thoughts raced, scrambling for any possible explanation as to how he knew my darkest, most guarded secret. Like a puppet with its strings cut, I sank back into the armchair. "How did you find out?" My voice nearly failed me.

"You still don’t get it, do you? I know everything about you. I know everything about everyone I deal with."

"No one knows that—no one but me and my mother." The nausea rose at the thought of how he could’ve uncovered it.

"Maybe not," he said with a shrug. "I pay people to find things that aren’t in records anymore. If I want information, I get it. Always." His gaze cut through me. "So. How did you get rid of him?"

The lump in my throat grew heavier. How could he know I got rid of him? Maybe he didn’t—maybe he was just bluffing. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

With a frustrated shake of his head, he dropped into the chair opposite me, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Seriously, Fiona?"

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