Page 69 of Truth (Wicked Empire 2)

Sixteen

Amethyst

“Here? In Zürich?”I asked.

I’d been reluctant to speak, wanting to enjoy being in his arms. But the question I wanted to ask burned at the tip of my tongue, and I needed to get it out.

Looking at him now, I regretted it. Hated that my father was impeding on this special moment, but knowing knew deep in my heart that I couldn’t move ahead, couldn’t look forward to more moments like this, until I settled the past.

I stared at him. “Here?” I asked again.

“Yes,” he said.

There was a darkness to his eyes that I hadn’t seen for a very long time, and as I stared at him, I tried to figure out what lay behind that expression.

But I saw nothing.

“How do you know?” I said.

I stared at him for a moment longer, and when he didn’t answer, I did.

“It’s because you saw him,” I said.

“Yes,” he responded.

“When? Why?”

He didn’t answer, and I sat up taller, my gaze not leaving his.

“Davit,” I said.

His eyes flashed, and I knew that he wasn’t going to tell me. Could see from the stubborn, determined expression on his face.

“Amethyst, I have always been as forthcoming with you as I could be,” he said.

I let out a snort-laugh, and he had the nerve to look wounded.

“You may not believe that,” he continued, “but I have.”

“But?” I said, trying to keep my temper in check.

“But, there are certain things I can’t discuss with you,” he said.

That he sounded apologetic, and also patient, which only annoyed me.

“You mean there are certain things that you won’t discuss with me,” I said.

He shrugged. “As you like.”

“I’m willing to assume that those matters involve your ‘business,’” I added, making air quotes.

He didn’t respond, not that I had expected him to.

“I’m going to further assume that means that my father had something to do with your business.”

I knew that, but somehow thought it was isolated, a one-off.

And didn’t know what to say, now that I knew that wasn’t true.

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