Page 117 of The Boss

“Tell me the truth or so help me God, Shane. What are you in the middle of?”

“You’re not going to shoot me.” He was foolish enough to take another step closer.

“Don’t push me. You have no idea what I’ve been through. I’m not the same little girl who thought you were a fucking hero. You’re not. I won’t take any crap from anyone any longer. I will shoot you if necessary.”

The front door was kicked in and Shane jerked around, immediately pulling out a weapon of his own. His eyes opened wide as he watched several men piling into the room.

My uncle included.

“Don’t do it, Shane,” I told him as I moved to his side, keeping the weapon in both hands and directly in front of me.

“Let me have the weapon, little dove,” Dimitrios told me.

“I won’t allow him to shoot you.” I shifted from foot to foot.

Shane shook his head. “You lured me here.”

“You bet I did.”

“What are you doing with him?”

I laughed. “You have no right to demand any answers from me. Dimitrios is the single person who helped me. He protected me. What the fuck were you doing?”

Dimitrios moved to my side, slowly lifting his arm and placing it on my hands. “Don’t do this, Willow. It’s not what you want. It’s what I want. We’re going to talk. All of us.”

At least my brother was nervous, maybe even fearful of what I’d do. After a few seconds, I slowly started to lower my arms, allowing Dimitrios to take and pocket the weapon.

“Jesus Christ, Shane,” Uncle Gregory said under his breath. “What the fuck happened to you?”

“Uncle Greg,” Shane said. I noticed he didn’t lower his weapon, shifting his angry gaze from our uncle to Dimitrios.

Dimitrios winked as he walked closer, Havros closing the door behind him. I wanted to remind the man I adored he’d need to replace the door or Athena would kick my ass.

I’d do that later.

“You’re going to tell us everything,” I barked, barely recognizing my voice any longer.

“I’d listen to your sister, Shane. She’s one tough lady. You did good, little dove.”

It finally fully settled into my brother’s mind that I’d lured him into a web. His baby sister, the one who’d never done anything wrong in her life. As he turned his head, I sensed both rage and sadness.

“Why?” he asked me. “You didn’t trust me.”

“How could I? I brought you here because someone is trying to frame you.” I made the choice to share that with him. If I got into trouble with Dimitrios, so be it. “That is, unless you’re guilty and actually the Stalker.”

Dimitrios had a weapon in both hands, but his arms were lowered in front of him. “Nico, take our guest’s weapon from him.”

“Frame me. That figures,” Shane said, his laugh indicating it wasn’t a huge surprise.

“You got it, boss.” Nico did as he was asked, Shane smartly not attempting to keep it.

Dimitrios walked slowly toward the dining room table, pulling out a chair. He glanced at my phone, hitting the screen and smiling. “My little dove recorded the session. You’ve learned a lot from me about sleuthing.”

“You learned more from me,” I countered.

He laughed and sat back in the chair. “We need to have a long talk, Shane.” I moved beside the man, folding my arms and studying my brother as if he’d been encased in a glass Petri dish. I felt as if I didn’t know him any longer. He was wearing a dark suit, a classic example of Armani. Nicely tailored and costing more than his meager paycheck should allow.

Another indication that my brother had jumped to the dark side. Not just morally gray but pitch black. I hated him for it, but I needed him at the same time.

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