Page 45 of His Ruthless Obsession

I pull the pictures up and show her my screen. “Don’t we look good together?”

I make her look at the one where we’re tongue-deep in each other’s mouths. A personal favorite.

She stares at it for a long moment before pushing my arm away.

“Is this what my father wanted to meet about? These photos?”

I toss my phone down onto the floor again. “He mentioned them, among other things he presented as further evidence of our affair.”

Nella reaches up and rubs her hands over her face. Surprising, she stays level-headed over things, just a calm sort of exasperation that I’m not expecting.

“Please tell me the truth,” she says while dropping her hands into her lap. “You owe me that, at least.”

I stare at her for a long moment.

“Yeah, okay. He presented those photos to me and accused us of sleeping together behind his back. He believes we orchestrated Ben Thomas’ death together.”

She stares deep into my eyes, almost as if she can see my soul.

“Why didn’t you tell me about the photos? It’s one thing for him to think that’s what happened and another for him to have fuckingevidencefor it!”

I fold my hand under Leo and lift him up against my chest, holding him there while I cross my legs together. He purrs into my chest, curling up again once I place him back down into my lap.

“Nella, he would never believe me even if I got down on my knees and begged him. He’s completely convinced you’re a power-hungry minx.”

She shakes her head at me. “Of course, he does. Why wouldn’t he? You told him as much.” She gestures to my phone. “Is that why you approached me that night?”

I can tell that her agitation is slowly getting the better of the calm and cool façade she’s been using as a mask.

I don’t answer her. “Marco’s stubborn and cruel, Antonella. No amount of you thinking otherwise will change that.”

“And you aren’t?” she spits at me.

I let her, not saying anything to refute it.

“People consideryoua monster, Killian. Do you know that? They know your body count.Iknow your body count and how you throw people into the river the second they don’t agree with you.”

She shakes her head, rubbing her hands over her face in frustration.

“I don’t understand you,” she goes on. “Why are you doing any of this? What’s the point? Just to get your hands on a few million dollars?”

“No.”

“Then why?” She drops her hands, her eyes shining with tears that have yet to spill over. “Why are you doing this to me?”

“Doing thistoyou? Antonella, I’m doing thisforyou.”

I frown when Leo jumps off of my lap, clearly sensing the tension between me and his owner. He hops up onto the cushion behind my head, sitting upright to watch us both from his perch.

Nella lets out an incredulous laugh. “Doing thisforme?You’re actually insane if you think I’m going to believe that.”

I feel my jaw tighten. Why is it so hard for her to believe I could do something nice for her? I got her damn cat. I let her make her stupid phone call. What more does she want?

“Are the photos why you approached me that night?” she asks again.

“No, they weren’t the only reason.”

Suddenly, I feel a fist hit my arm.

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