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“Damian thought Lucas might be involved,” I say with a lowered voice after I glance at Cash to make sure he’s not listening. The café is loud, though, and he’s far enough away.
“What do you think?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t like Lucas, but I mean, they’re brothers. Twins. Would he really do that to his own family?”
“Well, I have one more thing you should see.” He takes the laptop back and punches a bunch of keys before turning it back toward me.
I read what’s on the screen. “What’s this?” I ask, recognizing the address of my old house on Staten Island.
“The house was sold almost immediately after your father’s death.”
“I know.”
It was weird, considering the alleged suicide. The real estate agent said it would be a hard sell, but it wasn’t. After hearing that it had sold, I didn’t give it much thought. I didn’t want to. There were too many painful memories that I was okay to leave alone.
“Don’t you want to know who bought it?”
“This corporation?” I point at the name on the screen. “I don’t know why a corporation—”
“Shell company. If you peel back the layers, guess who technically owns your old house.”
“Who?”
“Guess.”
“Just tell me, Liam.”
“Your husband.”19Cristina“He doesn’t act like a man who just lost twenty million dollars,” Damian says to Tobias as he walks into the penthouse.
Sitting up, I rub my face and look over at him. He looks fierce, angry. And like he’s had a long day. The clock on the wall tells me it’s almost midnight.
“I’ll be down in a few minutes,” he tells Tobias who nods and leaves again. When he reaches the couch, he takes the remote and switches off the TV. “Why didn’t you go to bed?”
“I just dozed off. I need to talk to you.”
“It’s not a good time.” He checks his phone after it dings with a message, running a hand through his hair as he reads it, his attention wholly absorbed by it.
“It’s not a good time for me to be cooped up in here on my own most of the day either.”
He texts his response then gives me a sideways glance as he takes off his coat, tosses it over the back of the couch and heads toward his study “It’s been a long day. Go to bed. We can talk tomorrow.”
“Why did you bring me if I was just going to be in your way?”
“You’re not in my way.”
“Well, all you’ve done since we got here is send me away.”
He stops, turns to me. “What? Do you suddenly miss me? You want to spend time with me? That’s not the impression you’ve given me so far, sweetheart. Go to bed.”
“I have questions.”
“Christ. Look, it’s been a really long day and it’s not over yet. Can it wait until tomorrow? I’m just up here to grab some things and go.”
“Go where?”
“Business.”
Vague as ever. Who does business at this time of night? I follow him into the study.
“Who doesn’t act like a man who lost twenty million dollars?” I ask, not yet ready to ask the real question.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Why do you keep telling me not to worry about things but expect me to understand that I need to be accompanied by your soldier?”
“This is business, Cristina. You won’t be involved in that. All you need to know is that I’ll keep you safe.” He opens a couple of drawers and fishes through until he finds what he needs. He tucks the papers into his jacket pocket and looks at me with both eyebrows raised.
“Why were you and your brother fighting today?” I ask.
“Brothers fight. This is what couldn’t wait?”
“I heard my name.”
“Were you snooping? Listening at the door? When will you learn your lesson?”
“I was getting a glass of water and you two were loud.”
He surveys me. “We were born holding hands. Did I ever tell you that?”
“You rarely tell me anything.”
“I tell you what you need to know. And besides, this situation, you and me, it’s gone a little differently than I expected.” He checks his watch. “I have to go. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
“Differently how?”
He shifts his attention to his phone when another message comes through. “Nothing. Never mind.”
“See? This is an example of how you don’t tell me anything.”
“Cristina.” The way he says my name is with a groan of irritation.
“I mean it. You—”
“How is your cousin?” he asks with a smirk.
I guess he’s making a point. I’m surprised he knows, although I shouldn’t be. I’m sure Cash reports everything back to him. “Fine.”
“Why didn’t you mention you’d wanted to see him?”
“I ran into him. That’s all.”
He touches a knuckle under my chin and tilts my face up. “You know how I can tell when you’re lying?”
I turn my face away.
“That’s it exactly. You can’t hold my gaze. Now are you done? I need to go.”
