Page 33 of Sovereign Oaths

Focus on the present. Getting lost in thoughts of them was far too dangerous right now.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked. “You were upset in there.”

He couldn’t take my hand since he was busy shifting gears, but he smiled. “You give me more peace than anyone before. You have a way of soothing my soul with one look.”

Such beautiful, empty words.

“You’re my light. My beacon through all the darkness and shit in my life.” He paused. “You’re too good, too pure for me and my world. I should let you go before I take you down too, but I can’t.”

Ha. If he only knew.

I shifted to face him squarely. “Then let me be that light. Talk to me. Tell me what’s going on. I’ve never seen you like that before.” I let my voice drift away for effect and lowered my gaze. “It scared me.”

“I just lost it there for a second.” He adjusted his grip on the steering wheel. “Something went wrong at one of my properties tonight. I’m not sure of the full extent of the damage yet.”

“Are your employees okay?” I rushed out the words.

He tapped his thumbs on the wheel. “I’m not sure.”

Because he hadn’t bothered asking. He probably wasn’t nearly as concerned about the loss of lives as he was about the money he was out.

“Was it an accident?”

He didn’t answer immediately, instead speeding through the streets toward his house. “I don’t think so.”

“Was it Brazzi?” I whispered, adding a bit of fear in my voice.

“No.” He squeezed my hand for a second before pulling away. “I told you. I took care of him.”

“You have another enemy?” I squeezed, sounding distraught. Damn, I was good.

He glanced at me, panic in his eyes, and slammed his palm on the wheel. “Shit, no. I mean, not another like him.”

He didn’t think the Velez was a possibility? I was beginning to doubt he even knew about us. “What do you mean?”

“There’s been some tension since my dad passed and left me in charge.”

I leaned toward him, sensing this was going to be important.

“Martin was his right-hand man and assumed he would take over when Dad died. He’d put up a bit of a fight in the beginning, but finally backed off and accepted I was the boss. He could have been a great source of guidance and support but said if I was meant to be in the position, I’d figure it out. He didn’t do anything to help me during the transition, but he hasn’t actively done anything against me.”

“Do you think he was behind what happened tonight?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t want to rule anything out yet. He was just the first possibility that came to mind. He has an unfortunate habit of creating issues for me. Tests, perhaps, for me to prove I can’t handle leadership.” Alessio rubbed his tightening jaw.

“But he wouldn’t sabotage the business just to get back at you, would he?” I asked and gave him a wide-eyed look, naïve but provocative.

“It wouldn’t be the first time.”

I swiveled to look out the window, keeping my shoulders tight to signal concern and shielding my smile. He had another weakness to exploit.

CHAPTER 8

Cruz

“We need to figure out who’s lying.” I drummed a pen against my knee while slowly spinning in the computer chair. None of us wanted to call it a night yet. Knowing Em was with Dias gave us all insomnia.

“How do you suggest doing that?” Javi asked from the second seat at the console in the surveillance room.

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