Page 76 of The Boss

Was I a fool to allow myself to think about a wedding that shouldn’t occur? Why not enjoy what I could when I could? That was the motto I’d adopted.

I headed for the outdoor kitchen, leaning my back against the counter and scanning the back of the house. There were so many windows and balconies that it was crazy. Every single guest could enjoy the incredible outdoors very privately.

Out of the corner of my eye, the two-story detached garage caught my eye as it had upon our arrival. Why was the room upstairs off limits? I’d broached the subject a second time only to be completely shut down. What was he hiding and why did it feel as if the secret would be the reason our closeness was short lived?

I’d always been the kind of girl who needed answers. Being stonewalled by anyone from my parents to teachers had become unacceptable. What made this any different? I bit my lower lip and glanced back at the house. One peek wasn’t going to hurt. Was it?

Besides, he’d disappeared for almost two hours the night before. I’d gone to check on him and he hadn’t been inside the house or by the pool and I seriously doubted he was walking on the beach alone. He didn’t seem like that kind of man. That left only one place he would go.

I walked quickly to the gate, taking another look before scampering down the pathway. The building was nearly asbeautiful as the house, arched windows covering the two sides I could see from the way I was walking.

As I approached the building, I second guessed my decision, but the need to know what he was hiding outweighed all common sense. I wasn’t surprised to find the side door leading into the garage unlocked. I closed it behind me, immediately walking up the set of stairs leading to the room.

It was also unlocked, but I remained on the outside for a few seconds. Did I feel guilt for invading his space? A little, but not enough to stop me. I finally turned the handle, holding my breath as I walked inside.

There was nothing that would indicate something tragic had occurred. The only indication the place meant something to him was that the appearance was exactly like what I remembered from so many years before. As if time had stopped. No one had altered the dance studio in any way that I could see.

There was a series of floor-to-nearly-ceiling mirrors positioned the entire length of the back wall, two others on the sides. A series of ballet barres was attached, the wooden floor smooth throughout the room. On the left side there was a bookshelf, a music system located on two shelves. I noticed several small speakers in the four corners of the room. The system was older and I wondered if it still worked.

The quiet inside the room kept my anxiety high. My mind was working overtime wondering who she was. I’d never heard about a sister, but that didn’t mean I knew everything about the family.

But it felt even more personal with him, a girl who’d been very important in his life. Something else caught my eye on the bookshelf and I walked in that direction. For some crazy reason,I was taking my time doing so. Being here felt more awkward than I’d thought it would. While I wanted to find out what he was hiding, I couldn’t stand feeling as if I was disobeying him.

When had that started?

I brushed my hand through my hair as a photograph in a frame came into view. Closing the distance was tougher, my feet not wanting to cooperate, but I managed. The girl was beautiful, long dark hair pinned in a tight bun. She had a smile on her face that said she knew the camera was catching her every move. In a ballet position, her dark peach leotard hugged every inch of her slight body. It felt as if the area was a shrine, the memories too painful for him to keep a photograph out in the open.

The girl appeared tiny in comparison to me, elegant in a way I’d never thought of myself as being. I lifted the frame into my hand, admiring her expression of happiness. Why did I know in my heart the photograph had been taken by Dimitrios?

“What the fuck are you doing in here?” His deep voice was more of a bellow, the sound echoing in the empty room.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I spun around, almost dropping the picture. I’d never seen such an expression of anger on his face. As he stormed closer, a hint of fear tore through me. He ripped the photograph from my hand, his entire face contorted, his jaw clenching hard. The moment he darted a quick look at the girl, I could feel his pain ebbing through his clothes.

“I’m sorry. I just…” How was I going to explain this?

“You just what? What? I told you specifically you couldn’t enter this room. Didn’t I?” His bark was worse, his face so close to mine I could feel his hot breath. “Didn’t I?”

“Yes. You did. Okay? I said I was sorry.”

“Too bad you don’t mean it. You’re digging into my life and I won’t tolerate it.”

My God. He was so angry I had no clue what to say to him, let alone how I’d calm him down.

“You won’t tell me why I can’t come in here. I wanted to know. You refuse to allow me to lie to you, but all you’ve done is deceive me since this started.”

He took a deep breath and I was certain he would explode. After closing his eyes briefly, he exhaled. The man was attempting to keep the control I sensed him losing around me.

“I gave you free rein of the house, but you do this. This!”

Now I was getting angry. “It’s just a room. A goddamn room!” As soon as I tried to skirt around him, he snapped his hand around my wrist, pulling me onto my toes.

“It’s not just a goddamn room, Willow.”

“Then tell me what it is. A shrine? To the girl? Someone you loved?”

Oh, that pissed him off, but I sensed sadness taking over. “Some things aren’t meant for people to know. They’re too painful.”

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