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“He confessed to killing the mayor. But it was under duress and was a false confession. You know him. He’s incompetent and would never have made a good leader. He certainly couldn’t have pulled off something as elaborate as this.”
I agree with his assessment of my cousin, but I don’t say as much.
“So, why are you telling me this?”
“I want to talk to the girl.”
“Zara?”
“Yes. Bring her to me. I want you on the next flight to New York.”
My gut tells me Jamie isn’t messing around, but there is no way in hell I’m going to let him get a hold of her.
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because I let her go,” I lie. “She doesn’t know anything, and all my digging turned up nothing. For all I know, she’s in France by now.”
“What the fuck were you thinking?” Jamie bellows. “She could be in on this. And you… let her go? Find her. I want her in my office within the next forty-eight hours or I will start searching for her myself. And if I find her, you won’t be there to protect her. Don’t think I didn’t pick up on your attraction to her.”
Fuck. This is not good.
“I need security on Zara,” I tell Owen when I end the call.
“Why? What is so important about her you don’t want to turn her over to your father?”
So, they could hear the loud ass even though my phone wasn’t on speaker.
“She just is, OK? I can’t say why. But my gut is telling me to protect her. So that’s what I’m going to do, damn it. My father is a monster.”
Matteo stands. “Enough. Luke, I’m sorry. We don’t have time to babysit your girl. You’ll have to see to that yourself. But you also need to do a deeper background check, and you need to get some answers from her about who hired her.”
I’m well aware that he’s right. That doesn’t mean I like it.
“Are we done here? I’m going to take her home.”
“The feds still haven’t been to your place. I wouldn’t take her there.”
I laugh. “I meant to her hotel, you idiot.”
Victor flips me off and I flash the group my lazy smile. “I’m not getting soft over a girl. Calm down lads. I’m being cautious because I truly believe she’s innocent in all of this. All I’m asking for is the same leeway you gave Matteo with Skylar. I know the situations are different, but I’m asking. And I rarely ask for anything.”
They don’t argue with me anymore, and Matteo gives me a curt nod silently telling me I have their support, so I head for the door.
I find Zara and Bellamy at the bar each with a half empty glass.
“Ladies, I’m afraid I have to escort Zara home.”
Bellamy frowns. “Aww, we were having a good chat. I like her Master Luke.”
I smile at Bellamy and lean in to kiss her cheek. “We’ll be back. Something’s come up and Zara and I have to leave.”
Zara has stayed quiet through this exchange, and now she stands and empties her glass of bourbon.
“Is everything OK?”
I shake my head. “Not even a little. But we can talk in the car.”
