Page 88 of Lethal Legacy

Not me. Not the fucking insane sex we’ve been having. Not the way I make her feel, or anything I’ve done.

No.

ForMiss Lopez, apparently it’s the children who managed to trip the emotional wire. And while I should, probably, think that’s an admirable thing, what I actually feel is unbelievably fucked off.

Which makes me feel even worse, because who gets jealous ofchildren,for goodness’ sake?

She’ssupposedto adore them. They’re supposed to adore her.

But the fact that they all seem to adore each other, while I’m stuck on the sidelines like a spare dick at an orgy, pisses me off more than I can explain.

And I do not feel proud of that at all.

“I know you want answers.”

She’s brave enough, I’ll give her that. By now, faced with my death stare and grim silence, even the bravest of my minions would normally have collapsed in tears or bolted. I can see the trepidation in Lucia’s face, but she doesn’t actually seem afraid. I’m not sure whether that makes her a complete fool or the most courageous person I’ve ever met.

“This is what I can tell you.” She meets my eyes steadily. “I’m not working for the Orlovs. But they are hunting for me. They’ve been hunting me for many years, and they won’t ever stop. I give you my word that I do not mean any harm to you, your business, or your family. I would never,everdo anything to harm you or the children. But, Roman.”

Her voice cracks slightly on my name. I clench my fingers hard to stop myself reaching for her. She looks so ridiculously soft, standing there with her lips still swollen from mine, her hair tousled, and her dress still creased from where I threw it. I want to pull her close and never let her go. I want her to say my name like it’s home.

Instead I force myself to just raise an eyebrow.

She swallows hard and goes on, her voice not quite steady. “I can’t tell you who I am.”

I almost throw the glass across the fucking room.

“Please believe me when I say it isn’t because I don’t trust you. It isn’t that.” Her voice begins to tremble, and I can see the tears she’s trying to hold back.

I want to be furious.

I want to not want to hold her.

“But I’ve made promises to people I love that mean I can’t tell you the whole truth. I cannot betray those promises, Roman.”

There’s an almost pleading note to her voice that is getting close to breaking me.

“If it were only me at risk, then I would tell you the truth in a heartbeat. Please believe that. But others have risked their lives to ensure I am standing here today. To betray their confidence would dishonor that sacrifice.”

She swipes impatiently at her eyes and takes a shaking breath, forcing herself to meet my eyes again.

“I know you’re powerful,” she says quietly. “And I don’t doubt your strength. But the less you know about me, the safer it is. For you and everyone you love. For your business.”

Her eyes drop to the floor. “I understand that my life is in your hands now,” she says dully. “You clearly know who the Orlovs are. I’ve told you what I can, hoping you won’t trade me to them, but I know how business is done. I know that I have no right to ask anything of you, after all you’ve done for me and my—friend. But given that this is probably the last conversation we’re likely to have, I will ask anyway, because more lives than my own depend on what you do next.” She takes a deep breath and faces me squarely. “I would be very grateful,” she says quietly, “if you gave us a... head start, before you make that call to Miami.”

For the first time in many, many years, I’m utterly dumbfounded.

Scrap that.

I’ve never been this dumbfounded in my entire life.

I always know exactly what to do. Whether it’s a gun pointed at my head, or my own pointed at someone else’s, I know. I don’t hesitate. I don’t overthink. I know when to run, and I know when to stand. I never, ever question my instincts.

But right now, my instincts are shot to hell.

Because this isn’t about what I know.

It’s about what I feel.

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