Page 40 of A Man of Prestige

“I’m sorry, star. I need to go.”

He sits up and puts back on his shoes that he kicked off several hours ago.

“Where? What do you mean?”

He pauses as though considering what words he wants to use.

“The truth. No more lies,” I repeat something we’ve talked about tonight.

He nods. “My father and Sebastian’s and Conner’s fathers are on a yacht right now talking to Jason Lewis.”

I freeze mid-step toward my shoes. “Wait…what? As in, the president?”

“As in the president,” he confirms as he finishes putting on his shoes and stands.

“Fuck.”

“Yeah. We’re going to check it out.”

“You’re what? Are you crazy?” I whisper-yell so we don’t wake Elena.

“This has got to end. If we can get video and audio, we can find out what is going on…”

“Aiden…I don’t think that’s a good idea. In fact, that’s a stupid idea.”

“It’s happening. We aren’t sending in our security team. It’ll draw too much attention. They’ll wait nearby. Conner owns a yacht at this same marina. We can get there without it being considered weird. We used to meet there on occasion for a night fishing expedition.”

“No, that’s a bad idea. You can’t…” I trail off as I watch him.

He steps up to me and takes my face in his hands. “Ella…I have to. We have to end this. We’ve been dragging our feet, trying to get every last shred of evidence…but at some point, we’ll need to pull the trigger.”

His words have my blood running cold. “Aiden…” I say slowly. “You aren’t going to…” I can’t finish the thought.

“I don’t plan on it. But I’m not going there without protection. There’s a small, minuscule part of me that hopes somewhere deep down my father loves me, but the wise part of me knows that he’d put a bullet between my eyes if I ever got in his way.”

I grimace. This part of Aiden’s life, I can’t relate to. My parents love me. They love my sister.

“I’m coming with you. It’s early, but we can say you have to be at a surgery or something and we can drop Elena at the train station.”

“No.” His face says it all. He’s not going to agree to this.

“If you don’t let me come, I will use my…powers…to find out where Conner’s yacht is and I will show up. So, take me, or see me later.”

He runs a hand through his hair, pulling on the ends in total frustration. “You drive me absolutely insane! You know that, right?”

I smirk. “And that’s why you love me.”

“Ella, it’s not safe.”

“Then why are you going?” I ask with a raised eyebrow.

“Because it needs to be done and the three of us can do it with minimal risk.”

“Then the four of us can do it with minimal risk,” I state as I cross my arms in defiance.

“Goddamn it, woman! Sometimes I wish you were more…” He trails off as my eyebrow rises again, daring him to say the words.

“But I’m not.”

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