Page 19 of Sin and Deception

It was a harmless white lie to please Penny. Deep down, I knew no one else could compare to what Theo and Xander offered me. It was pointless even to try to find someone like them again.

Seven

THEO

My heart raced at the sight of her, Nerine.

She was alive.

She believed she could hide behind that disguise, but I recognized her face anywhere. Every inch of skin, every curve of her body, was engraved in my memory. Even with a blindfold on, I would have known it was her with just one touch.

Nerine Angelos. No one in the world could ever compare to her. And now here she was, sitting at a table in the hotel restaurant with a wealthy and lively woman.

I immediately noticed the security team surrounding them—three men at one table and two at another, all trying to blend in but failing miserably.

However, I noticed their tells immediately.

The dark suits, the bulge of their weapons at their sides, and the way their eyes darted around while they pretended to converse. It was obvious.

I sat at the bar, positioned slightly behind Nerine and out of her view but close enough to catch their enlightening conversation. My heart lifted when I heard her decline her friend's offer to match her with a man. Could it be that she had stayed untouched by others? I couldn't help but wish for that possibility.

But by the tone of her voice, Nerine seemed completely uninterested in pursuing the “dick” her friend joked about.

Although I was glad about her lack of interest, it saddened me to witness the visible distress on her face. Her whole demeanor expressed a feeling of defeated sorrow. Her shoulders drooped, and her eyes appeared heavy with sadness.

This wasn’t like any Nerine I had seen before.

Where was the fiery temptress who loved to argue with me? The woman who insisted she alone knew what was right from wrong? Where was the goddess whom I was both obsessed with and maddened by?

My first instinct upon spotting her was to lift her over my shoulder, carry her somewhere private and safe, interrogate her, and obtain the answers I’d desperately needed over the past few years.

When I saw she was safe, I held back. What I needed now was information. If I knew anything about Nerine, it was that she wouldn’t provide answers willingly. If I wanted tounderstand why she’d disappeared, I’d have to figure it out on my own first.

Now, she called herself Rina, not just changing her appearance but also her name. And here she was in the middle of the fucking desert, looking perfectly groomed with no visible injuries.

As if the wound in my soul wasn’t enough, it tore open, festering with the knowledge that whatever had happened, she had left willingly. No one had taken her or compelled her to go. She had decided to vanish without saying anything to Xander or me. It was painful to realize that she could have called us at any point over the past two years.

I tightened my jaw to control my feelings and consider the situation rationally. There was more to this story, as there often is. I scrutinized her closely, observing every part of her as she moved through the world with a blend of freedom and persistent caution.

Her contacts couldn't hide the misery and fear swirling in her eyes. I couldn't help but feel a wave of protectiveness for her, wondering if someone had pressured her into this situation.

Impatient and restless, I listened to Nerine's friend speak, fighting the urge to interrupt. The security around them was imposing, but the element of surprise was our best chance of getting out of this unscathed.

I quickly pulled out my phone to text Xander about my discovery. Once he heard the news, he'd regret staying cooped up in our hotel room instead of coming down to grab a biteto eat, as I suggested. But for now, I needed his expertise in this situation.

ME: I found her.

XANDER: WTF? Where?

ME: In the bistro closest to the high roller’s tower, she's going by the name ‘Rina.’ She looks completely different.

XANDER: Unbelievable! I’m on my way down.

ME: No. Wait. She doesn’t know I saw her, and I want it to stay that way. Hack into Ida’s hotel database to learn more about her.

XANDER: That’s harder than you think. Places like this are locked down tighter than Fort Knox.

ME: I have faith in your abilities.

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