Page 7 of Crossed By the Stars
“You do not get to demand anything of me, Armaud. Not. One. Thing.” I raised my chin and fought against his grip.
He looked down at the hold he had on my wrist and let go as if I’d burned him. As if touching me were painful. Maybe it was. Just being close to him was enough to send my libido into a torturous overdrive, an ache of desire shooting through me. It didn’t help that my dry spell had been months long. Dax’s body had always promised me things… The memory of sweet kisses and the one time we’d even come close?the one time I’d come apart on his mouth?was enough to make my nipples tighten.
My body trembled as I turned away, both to hide my reaction and to give myself some much-needed space. I went back to the bag on my desk and slipped the paper in with the other items. When I looked back up, Dax was staring down at his phone again. There was no doubt he’d find out what it said. He had enough resources. Enough friends around the globe who spoke whatever the hell language he needed. I didn’t want him talking to Vi and Dawson about it. I didn’t want them to find out and come running back from their honeymoon in order to try and save me yet again. They’d saved me too many times already.
I sighed.
“It says, ‘Retribution is a duty that will only wait so long,’” I said.
His eyes widened. “Itisa threat.”
I shrugged, but my skin prickled again, not from the way Dax’s body made mine heat up but from the icy sensation of someone being in my home and leaving behind the note. A message claiming I only had a short time before something more serious came my way.
“Is that all it says?” he pushed.
“It essentially says, ‘Time’s up,’” I told him.
“Putain de bordel de merde.”
Holy fucking hell was right, but I didn’t say anything aloud. I couldn’t. If I did, I might break down completely, and I had plenty to do today.
“Rana is amping up your security?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Where was the note left?”
I sat down, swallowing. “Why does it matter?”
He read me—like always.
“Here?! They left it here? They were in your home?” He pushed a hand through his stylized hair, ruffling the stiff peaks, mussing it more and making it even sexier, as if it had been tousled in bed. “Fire her. I’ll have Cillian and his team take over.”
“I don’t need your concern or your team. Rana is as pissed as you are, and it sure as hell motivated her to cover our weak spots. They’re figuring it out. We’ll know who it was soon and take care of it.”
“Did you call the police?”
I laughed sarcastically. “No, Armaud. I didn’t. I won’t be calling the police. Isn’t that what got me into this mess to begin with? Working with the FBI?”
He was more upset than I’d expected. He was pacing, hands still running through his hair before stopping to open and close the clasp on his watch—a tell as old as my phone twirling.
“You should tell them—the FBI,” he said.
“And have them run to Dawson? No way,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him. “If you tell them and ruin their honeymoon, I’ll hire a hitman to come after you myself.”
“They’re already worried. I have to call them.”
“So, call them, but if you mention this, that image on the warning will be you,” I said, forcing every word to be deadly and calm. I was my father’s daughter. I couldn’t escape it.
“I can’t lie to them. We promised each other only truth after…” he trailed off, looking up at the ceiling and then back to me.
“So, tell them the truth, which is that I’m exhausted. That’s what Vi heard in my voice. I’ll get more rest tonight.”
He scoffed, “Yeah, right. Good luck sleeping with that hanging over you.”
He waved a hand to the note I’d tucked away. I wasn’t sure I’d be sleeping again for months. Not until we found who’d sneaked into my place without leaving even a shadow on the security tapes. Not until I talked with my father and figured out who was coming after me when he’d promised no one would. I’d done one little thing. I’d gone back toObaasan’swhen she needed someone. That loyalty should have been rewarded even if it was in direct violation of our agreement.
“Come with me to the boat show. It’ll take your mind off of it, if nothing else,” he circled back to his original request.
