Page 23 of The Boss

I couldn’t lie to him. I had a feeling he’d know if I did. “Yes, but I remember you as kind and generous. Not kidnapping a womanwho has no fucking idea what’s going on. Do you realize my life was just destroyed?”

“You’re alive. You should try and remember that,peristeráki mou.”

“What did you just say to me?”

“I called you my little dove.”

I threw out my hand. “I’m not your anything, except your prisoner. Release me.”

His sigh was heavy as if he had more on his mind. He moved slowly toward the single chair in the room, sitting down and placing his arms on his thighs. “There’s much more going on here than just your parents’ murder.”

Unable to see his face clearly, I headed around to the end of the bed, my arms folded out of some sense of protection. “Meaning?”

“Meaning I lost someone too. My brother Leandro was murdered.”

I immediately put the pieces together. “My God. You think Shane killed him.” I’d met his three brothers as well, all of them as gorgeous as him.

“Yes, I do.”

“Not possible. He’s a foreign diplomat, following in my uncle’s footsteps. He’s done nothing but good for our country.”

“Are you certain about that, Willow? How well do you know your brother?”

His question was as pointed as his eyes were piercing. The truth was not well at all, but I didn’t want to tell him that. “He’s my brother. I know these things about him. He’s a good man. I’m telling you that he is.”

“Perhaps he’s just used to keeping secrets, hoping to protect you.”

“This doesn’t make any sense. None.” I was more exasperated than before. “I’m not a part of this. I need to… Go home.”

“Why were you at the club?”

“To dance and have fun with my friends.” What was he getting at?

“You weren’t there as a lookout?”

“You’re a twisted man. I just graduated with honors from the master’s program. Why would I risk everything I’ve worked so hard to achieve?”

“Another good question.”

Another lurch of my stomach almost caused me to double over as I’d done before, but showing him weakness wasn’t going to happen. “Where are they?”

“The police took them to the morgue. I don’t know what’s going to happen from here.”

“They’ll need to contact the next of kin. You have my phone and you have me. They won’t be able to do that. Release me.”

“You’re not in any position to make demands.”

“Well, get used to it. I’m not going to remain under your thumb.”

“And just how do you propose to handle this by yourself? Don’t you think the police will want to ask you some questions? Don’t you think they’ll wonder why you were out at the time of your parents’ murders? They’ll likely impound your passport until they find their answers, which could take a very long time.”

He was trying to scare me and he was succeeding.

“I’ll figure something out.” I was scared, more so than I’d been before. What I could tell was that he was destroyed by his brother’s murder. I knew nothing about his life or his world, but I certainly understood being a member of a crime syndicate offered no life insurance plan.

“I’m sorry about Leandro. Losing someone hurts.” My words could never capture the full truth. The feeling of this kind of loss murdered something inside of you that would never return to life. I could see the pain in his eyes, but I couldn’t be fooled by the fact we’d just both suffered a tragedy. Or that I knew him a little.

And certainly not because I’d crushed on him.

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