Page 61 of Assassin's Heart
The barrage of questions almost made me smile. I remembered this, the “interrogations” we’d called “cop mode” growing up, the rapid-fire barking of questions demanding an answer. Sitting in one of the chairs, I pulled him down in the other. “I’ll tell you everything you want to know. Just sit.”
He scooted his chair closer and turned, one hand coming up to curl along my jaw. From the corner of my eye I saw Remi tense, but he didn’t interfere. “Just tell me you’re okay. That’s the most important thing.”
Was I okay? Physically, yes, but emotionally I felt like I’d been through a war. “I’m okay.”
His shoulders slumped, relief softening his face. And because I wanted that relief to stay, because I didn’t want him on his knees again, I didn’t explain immediately that Ross wasn’t.
“Who are these men?”
Telling him the truth about the Agozis could put them in danger. “They’re friends.” I glanced Remi’s way. “Remi is—”
“She’s mine,” Remi said when I faltered. An automatic denial rose to my lips, but I clamped them shut over it. I was his. What that meant for the future, I had no idea, but it didn’t matter right now.
“Leah—”
My raised hand cut Dad off. “That’s not important right now.”
“Then what is?” He grabbed my hand from the air, gripping it tight. “Leah, what’s going on? What happened to you?”
“I fell in love,” I finally said.
“With him?” Dad jerked his chin toward Remi.
“No, not back then.” Remi’s intensity burned into my skin, and I knew he’d noticed how I avoided saying I didn’t love him. “Seven years ago...I fell in love with a man named Angelo di Cosimo.”
My father’s eyes went round, fear making them wild. A curse left his lips.
“You knew him?” I asked.
“No,” he bit out. “I didn’t know him, but I remember the case. A known Fiori associate.” His dark eyes narrowed on me. “How did you get involved with someone like that?”
So I told him the story, dragging up bits of my memories that I’d tried to forget, until I came to the night of Angelo’s death.
“Why didn’t you come to me, Leah? I would’ve taken care of you.” Pain echoed through his voice, and guilt rose, threatening to choke me.
“Because...” I closed my eyes, wishing I could do anything but speak the next words that had to come out of my mouth. “Because I went to Ross first.”
Dad jerked back. “What?” He shook his head. “Then why am I just hearing about this now and not seven years ago?”
“Dad... I...”
“Mr. Windon,” Remi said, coming to my rescue, “your son was working with the Fioris.”
“What? No!”
I squeezed Dad’s hand tight. “Yes.” Tears stung my eyes, and I couldn’t hide them when Dad’s gaze fixed on mine. “Yes, he was.”
“He wanted the evidence,” Remi added, “and Leah didn’t have it, so she ran.”
“Why? Why run?” Dad stood to pace, just like I did when I was frustrated. “I was right there at home waiting for you. You could’ve come to me at any time. Even if Ross—” He shook his head. “Even if he was working for the Fioris, I wouldn’t have let them hurt you.”
“Dad, I couldn’t.” How did I make him understand? “I wouldn’t pit you against your own son.” He would’ve had to choose, because one of us would be hurt—either me or Ross. The Fioris wouldn’t have accepted failure.
“So you’d rather I lose my daughter?”
“No,” I said quietly. “I’d rather I didn’t lose mine.”
Dad jerked to a stop, a stunned look spreading over his face. “You...you have a daughter?”
