“What? How do you know that?”
Dimitros shot me a guilty look. “I kind of snooped in his office and found a file on you.”
Harsh breaths came and left my lungs while fear coiled deep in my stomach. Not for me, but for all the failed chances at companionship I’d had over the years. No wonder moving on had been impossible, considering Lykos stalked in the shadows to ensure no man ever got close enough to me.
“Are you mad?” Dimitros asked.
I let out a frustrated breath. “Well, I’m not exactly happy.”
He winced. “Don’t tell my dad… Please.”
“I won’t, but promise me you’ll go to sleep now.”
He smiled and said, “You got it,” then turned on his side, holding Aria’s hand and closing his eyes.
I left the bedroom with tears burning my eyes at the loneliness I’d endured.
Standing in the dark hallway, I forced myself to calm down and consider what I’d learned. It wasn’t as if I could have met the love of my life. I’d never felt much of anything toward any man over the years. Just going on dates was a chore I’d eventually given up on.
The part that bothered me was the invasion of my privacy. Or maybe it was the fact that he was so close yet so far away all this time.
Taking several deep breaths, I drew strength from my years of training as a therapist to keep calm. It was something that was a necessity in my profession. Then I went looking for Lykos. Judging by the tug in my heart, this was where I belonged.
The living room was empty. The kitchen was too, all cold counters and gleaming surfaces. I kept moving, my footsteps soft as I traced the length of the hallway, seeking the one man I’d wanted in my life.
I finally found him in his office.
He was slumped over the desk, arms folded beneath him, his head resting on them as if the weight of it all had finally become too much to carry. He appeared exhausted, dark shadows swirling all around him like dark clouds.
“Lykos,” I called out.
He straightened in his chair and leveled me with an expression so soft it drew a shuddering breath from my lungs and made my throat tighten.
“You’re mad,” he stated slowly. I was considering how to address what I’d learned without exposing Dimitros, whenLykos added, “Don’t bother to deny it. Tell me what’s wrong. No more bullshit between us.”
“I agree.” I headed toward him and took a seat across the desk. “Have you interfered in my life over the last ten years?”
He didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
“Is that all you have to say?”
He held my gaze, unapologetically and with calm conviction. “I got rid of any man who tried to get close to you.”
“Did you…” I paused, unsure if I wanted to know the truth. However, he said it himself:No more bullshit between us.So, I pushed the question past my lips. “Did you kill them?”
“Not all of them.”
“Why?”
“You’re Aria’s mom. It was my job to keep tabs on you and keep you safe.”
My eyes widened until my eyebrows met my hairline. “I wasn’t in danger from those men. Not for a moment.”
“I couldn’t risk one of them sweeping you off your feet.”
“Why is that?”
He shrugged. “At first, I was furious that you abandoned our child. I told myself I was keeping an eye on you for her sake. To ensure you didn’t come back for her. But as years went on, I finally admitted the truth to myself.”
