Page 24 of Once A Crime Lord

She saw his body lock and his eyes took on a dangerous cast. “What the fuck is he doing here?”

“He’s attending a conference.”

He cocked his head. “You spoke to him?”

“He recognized me.”

“And you spoke to him?”

“Yes.”

“And you weren’t going to tell me?”

“Nothing happened.”

“Nothing happened,” he repeated, and the way he said it sent a ripple of alarm down her spine. “After you saw him, you picked a fight with me.”

“I picked a fight because I want to volunteer at the hospital event. That has nothing to do with Jonathan.”

“Don’t say that weak fuck’s name in this house.”

She took a step back. “Are you serious?”

He prowled toward her.

“Am I serious about hearing that the man you lived with and gave you romance saw you today?” He leaned down so their faces were inches apart. “Am I serious about the fact that you weren’t going to tell me? Fuck yes, I’m serious, Lyla. Deadly serious.”

“What do you want me to say?”

“I want to know how you felt when you saw him.”

She blinked. “Felt?”

“Yes. Felt.”

“I was shocked. I never expected to see him again,” she said.

“And?” he pressed.

“I felt... sad.”

“Why?”

“He’s a good man.”

“A good man,” he repeated without inflection.

“Will you stop that? Geez.” She ducked under his arm and paced away so she could breathe. “He asked why I left him, and I...” She wrung her hands, looked up, and realized she’d made a massive mistake.

“You don’t owe him shit,” he snapped.

“You don’t know him!”

“I don’t need to. He’s nothing.”

“He isn’t nothing. Jonathan took care of me. He was my friend. I disappeared, but when he saw me today, the first thing he asked was if I was okay. If a woman left you high and dry, would you bother saying anything to her if you saw her again?”

“What the fuck are you talking about? I did that. You left me and I looked for you for three years! Yes, I fucking know how it feels, and I brought you back twice because you belong with me.”

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