Page 14 of Vicious Rule

I take a step toward her and then another before I stop. “Sasha, I want you to come home. I need you at the villa. I’ve got some very important things going on with my business, and I need you there to assist me.”

Then it dawns on me. Did she tell Gideon what I’m doing with Nico?

“You didn’t talk to my brother about Nico Olivetti and my business, did you?” I ask as I move toward her and stop just a foot away.

A look of hurt settles into her beautiful face. “No, but that’s one of the problems we have, Alex. You don’t trust me. You didn’t tell me about Nico to begin with, so when he cornered me out on the terrace and wanted to know how long you and I have been together, I had no idea how to answer. I was worried about making problems for you, but you never worry about that with me. That’s another problem. God, there are too many to count right now.”

I’ve never seen Sasha look so unhappy. I’ve seen her angry, mostly with me, and upset about when something goes wrong at the villa, but never have I seen her genuinely unhappy.

I guess I’m to blame for that.

For a long moment, I don’t say anything because I don’t know what to say. Finally, I mumble, “I didn’t tell you about Nico because I wasn’t sure how much I should tell anyone.”

“I’m supposed to be your right hand, Alex. That’s what you call me. It’s what you like to brag to everyone I am. Your right hand. Yet when something important is going on, you don’t even tell me about it. That sounds like I’m not important, and to be honest, I’m not okay with that. I got used to being an integral part of your brother’s business here at the hotel, and that’s what I thought I was getting when I agreed to work for you. If that’s not the case, then I’m going to talk to your father about working somewhere else in his business.”

My chest tightens when she says that. I can just tell my father to make sure she doesn’t leave, but that’s not the point. She’s already thought this out and wants to leave.

No. I won’t let her.

I step toward her and caress her cheek with my finger. “You are important, Sasha. You’re the most important person in my entire business.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me about Nico Olivetti?” she asks, her eyes wide in expectation of what my answer will be.

Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer that will make her happy. I didn’t tell anyone about joining forces with him because I didn’t want to trust anyone with that knowledge. That’s not the same as not trusting her, though.

So I lie.

“I don’t know. I wasn’t thinking. If I promise not to do that ever again, will you come back willingly?”

She shakes her head. “No. Not until you tell me I don’t have to pretend to be with you.”

“He needs to believe we’re together. That’s how it has to be.”

“Why?”

God, I really don’t want to explain that here in my brother’s office. So instead of telling her the truth, I shrug like it’s no big deal.

Except that doesn’t work on her.

Every other woman I’ve ever known would understand that’s the sign I’m not interested in explaining myself on this subject, but not Sasha. No, she won’t agree to come back unless I answer her question.

Finally, I say in a low voice, “Because he wants you.”

I don’t say the rest of my sentence.

CHAPTER FIVE

Sasha

I’ve never seen Alex jealous. At least I don’t think I have. I’m not even sure I’ve seen him actually care about anyone but himself, but as I stand here listening to him tell me why he didn’t inform me about Nico, I see pure jealousy in him.

“Well, I don’t want him, so what’s the problem? You don’t plan to let him just have me against my will, do you?”

Rage flashes in Alex’s eyes as he shakes his head and frowns. “Stop talking like that. Let’s go. It’s time to go home.”

He grabs my arm to take me with him, but I’m not prepared to leave just yet. I yank it away from his hold, surprising him. He stares at me in utter shock that I won’t simply do as he wants. I guess it’s not surprising. I’ve never truly given him a hard time about anything. Why would he expect me to start now?

“Sasha, I’m not interested in having any more conversation in my brother’s office in a goddamned hotel I don’t want to be in. I said it’s time to go. Let’s go.”

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