Page 24 of Twisted Embrace

“Talk to me, Joy. If you know something, then now is the time to tell me.”

As soon as she tried to walk away, I grabbed her arm, jerking her against me. As had occurred before, the touch alone was enough to send a wave of electricity shooting through both of us. She pressed her fist against my chest then uncurled her fingers, tilting her head so she could look me directly in the eyes.

“A letter I received today.”

I cocked my head, taking a deep breath of her perfume. Damn if my cock hadn’t stirred, her scent creating a roar of desire. “Where is it?”

“In the kitchen.” She pointed toward the doorway, her breathing ragged. “Please, Enzo. I’m not your enemy or Lucia’s. I love her like a sister. Don’t you understand? Can’t you see that?”

As I took a deep breath, I let her go, nodding once. “Bring it to me.”

She scrambled toward the kitchen doorway, returning with a regular envelope in her hand, stopping several feet from me. “I don’t understand what is going on.” She pulled what appeared to be a letter into her fingers, reading it over.

I walked closer, gently removing it from her hand. As I read the first paragraphs, I shook my head. Igor had known his brother had a hit on him. It was easy to tell the man had done what he could to make amends with the daughter he never knew.

“You really killed him,” she said in passing. “This man who claims to be my father?” When she lifted her head, a single tear slipped past her long eyelashes.

Every reaction around her was entirely different. As I swept my thumb through the salty bead, she didn’t object or seem repulsed. Just very sad, as if she’d been shoved into an unwanted fog. That I understood far too well.

When I slipped my thumb between my lips, she offered a slight smile. “Yes, Joy. I did. In the end, he betrayed my organization as well, something I couldn’t allow to go unpunished.”

She folded her arms, turning slightly. “My parents didn’t have much money, but my college tuition was paid in full. They tried to tell me that they’d saved since my birth, but I knew better. In my heart and mind I did.” As soon as she sat down on the sofa, she dropped her head into her hands.

I glanced at the letter again before sliding it into the pocket of my jacket. There were a number of unanswered questions, but she was crushed at the realization.

“Once I even asked my mother if I’d been adopted because I don’t look like my brother and sister at all.” She tugged at her hair. “I always thought I was Irish. Not Russian.” She wrinkled her nose as if disgusted by the thought. “What else do you know about me? My mother. Who is my real mother?”

“That I haven’t discovered.” Yet.

“You must know something.”

“I know that you’re valuable to the Bratva.”

“As what?” I could tell the instant she had even a remote understanding of why her uncle would want her back. “Collateral. A possession to be sold. Right?”

Nodding, I checked my watch. “Joy. We need to leave.”

“Where are you taking me? I’m not a possession. I did nothing wrong. Nothing!”

I walked closer and she jerked up, immediately confronting me. Before she had a chance to slap me across the face, I grabbed both her wrists.

“How much will I go for? How much? A hundred thousand? A million? What is my tainted blood worth in your world, Enzo?” Her exasperation fueled an entirely different kind of fire than it should have, my desire raging deep within.

“You don’t seem to understand, my precious jewel.”

“Don’t call me that. Don’t you dare ever call me that again.” She struggled just as she’d done before, refusing to accept I was in charge.

“I’m not selling you to anyone.”

“Then what? You’re really going to kill me, to put a bullet in my brain like you did the person who spawned me?”

“No. I have no intentions of doing so unless you don’t cooperate.”

“Then what? Tell me! I deserve to know the truth.”

“What you deserve remains to be seen. However, I will grant you the truth. I’m the only person alive who can keep you safe and unharmed, but that comes with a price, my beautiful jewel.”

“What do you want from me?” she asked again, her exasperation increasing.

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