Page 70 of Peyton's Price

She leaned back with a considering expression. “What do you call a cellar on a boat?”

“The wine closet,” he said, his chest tightening as he realized she was going to eat with the head of his staff again.

Priya and Peyton had become confidantes. Priya had mentioned Peyton had been asking about their dealings with the traffickers. At first, he hadn’t seen a problem with his new lover knowing the details, but the more he thought about it, the more his misgivings he had.

Peyton was a fiercely determined young woman. In the brief time he’d known her, he’d learned to respect her intelligence and drive. Though it appeared she had come through her kidnapping without too much damage, he knew she was still dealing with what had happened.

Sometimes, she would go noticeably quiet. Her jaw would clench and her fists would tighten, but as soon as she saw him, she would paste a smile on her face and pretend nothing was wrong.

Deep down, Peyton was angry.And she might be looking to do something about it…

“Have whatever you like,” he said slowly, “but I would appreciate it if you would stop asking Priya about our experiences with the slave trade.”

Her surprise was palpable. “I…uh…I mean, I wasn’t planning to discuss that tonight, but we have talked about it before.”

There was a beat of silence. She gripped her other shoe awkwardly in front of her. “Sorry, you’ve caught me off guard.”

Matthias winced, but he had to be firm with her. “I don’t want to censor you, but you don’t understand how it was. I don’t need the staff reliving the Belarus incident. Priya especially. She took it extremely hard.”

“Belarus?” Peyton frowned. “Oh. That’s whereithappened…”

Ithad been a nightmare. Matthias blinked. Suddenly, he wasn’t seeing his lover in front of him. His mind was filled with the gruesome images of all those dead girls. Wincing, he squeezed his eyes shut, banishing the ghosts. He opened them to see Peyton watching him with concern.

There was another sharp silence.

“Just stop asking questions,” he said, his voice curt.

The line between her eyes deepened. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

Matthias scowled, his hands going to his hips. “Why don’t you understand?”

Peyton shook her head. “I just meant perhaps you should talk to someone. A therapist. There might be some—unresolved things.”

She reached for him, but Matthias jerked back. He fastened his pants and shirt with abrupt movements. “I’ve asked you to respect my wishes on this matter. I don’t need the staff getting any ideas. We arenotgetting back into that business!”

By the time he finished, he was yelling.

Rubbing her arms, Peyton climbed off his desk with slow precision. He didn’t like the look she was giving him. Like she could read his very soul.

“You think someone here sold you out.”

Staggering, Matthias reached behind him, knocking into one of the small iron sculptures bolted into the bookcase.

“Fuck.” He shook his hand out, sucking on his stinging fingers for a second. “No,” he assured her, striving for a calmer tone and failing miserably. “My people had nothing to do with it.”

His staff was the best of the best. Each one had passed elaborate background checks. Not to mention the fact they had been put through their paces by Priya.

Somehow, Peyton knew he was lying. Matthias hadn’t been able to face it, but there had always been a thread of suspicion. George Wheeler, his contact at Interpol, had been a pro—a decorated agent with years of success behind him. It had taken a while, but the man had gained Matthias’ confidence. His operation had been airtight.

When the sting in Belarus had gone south, Wheeler had taken full responsibility. It had cost the man his career. But deep down, Matthias had always wondered where the fault truly lay. Wheeler hadn’t ever discovered how the slavers had been tipped to the raid.

“Matthias?”

Snapping out of his reverie, he turned away from Peyton. There were so many things he wanted to say to her, but the words choked him.

“I have to take a shower,” he rasped, spinning on his heel and leaving the room before she could reply.

Chapter 31

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