Page 158 of Bitter Secrets

He ambled back to the table to retrieve his drink. “You know the answer to that.”

“You have people watching him.” That was the only explanation, but… “How is that possible? His staff wouldn’t provide that information.”

“Nothing’s impossible when you offer enough money.”

Her nails cut into her palms. “Who else are you monitoring?” When he didn’t answer, she tensed. “My whole family?”

“Everyone has something to hide.”

“My family isn’t hiding anything!”

“Then what’s the harm in surveillance?”

She looked around for something to hit him with before she closed her eyes to rein in her temper. She wouldn’t get anywhere if she let her emotions take over. He was a master at evasion. If he was answering questions, she needed to take advantage and get as much information as possible so she would be prepared in the future. She took a fortifying breath and squared her shoulders.

It went against everything she believed, but she had to ask. “Did you find anything?”

“I thought you said they weren’t hiding anything.”

“What,”she stressed through clenched teeth. “Do. You. Have?”

“Colette lost control of Hennessy & Co two years ago, but refused to admit it until I bought a controlling share.”

The screaming tension in her shoulders lessened slightly. She already knew that. “That’s it?”

“Ariana has a drug addiction.”

Dumbfounded, she stood there, mouth agape. “You’re insane.”

“She’s been abusing prescription drugs for years. She’s been trying to kick her habit, but she relapsed half a dozen times this year.”

There was a buzzing sound in her ears. “I don’t…”

“She schedules her meetings with her counselor and therapist when Rami’s out of town, so I doubt he’s aware.” He paused for a moment before he finished, “And if Colette knew, she would have fired Ariana when it started.”

“You’re lying,” she whispered.

He didn’t try to convince her that he was telling the truth. He just waited. She felt as if she was standing on a rocking boat before she realized she was swaying. She widened her stance and braced before she said, “You can’t have anything on Rami.”

“Rumor has it that he bankrupted his business partner to force him to sign over his share of the company they founded together. When that didn’t work, he blackmailed him.”

“Rami?”

He was unfazed by her incredulous shout and continued, “Those rumors could be discounted if it wasn’t for the money trail he left behind, paying off reporters who investigated his ties to the underworld.”

Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water before she whispered, “Rami’s the nicest guy I know. He couldn’t have…”

“Maybe he’s changed,” Roth said in a tone that suggested he didn’t care one way or another. “All I know is, when they call in his debt, your whole family will pay the price.”

It took her exhausted mind a full minute to process what he was saying. “How do you know he hasn’t paid up?”

“I’d know. So would you. He won’t be able to keep this quiet.”

She rubbed her throbbing temples. “Why would he do something so foolish?”

“His ambition overrode common sense. It happens.”

She felt as if he detonated a bomb in her face. He stripped her family to their bare bones and had the nerve to look bored. This couldn’t be true. Ariana addicted to prescription drugs? How could Rami and Colette miss something like that? And Rami… She’d known him for nine years. Her geeky brother-in-law who wore sweater vests with disturbing regularity had ties to the underworld? He was a considerate, thoughtful man who listened to everyone speak before he gave his opinion. It couldn’t be. But, Roth had known about Colette’s troubles long before Dad’s death, which allowed him to gain control of Hennessy & Co so swiftly. Had he been tracking Ariana’s addiction for two years? Why would he…? She pivoted and found he hadn’t moved a muscle. As always, she was ten steps behind and in his trap before she realized there was one.

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