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My father shrugged. "Why is it interesting? She's a young lady. I might not like it, but she goes on dates no matter what I think." He gave Westin and I a pointed look, then turned to Igno. “Come, we’ll all have breakfast in the sunroom and talk.”
I felt like my father was trying to tell me something, but I wasn't sure what it was. He didn't know that Westin and I were together.
Or does he?
What in the hell was going on with him? I didn't know how I was going to get through this now that the ultimate surprise was standing before us.
Breakfast was uncomfortable, to say the least. As we struggled to make small talk my father kept looking up at Westin as if trying to communicate something with him.
Even with Westin at my side, I was hyper-vigilant, all my senses on alert as I tried to keep an eye on the guests as well as my father’s business associates.
Throughout breakfast, my father kept watching me. When I walked toward the powder room in the far-left corner of the room, he grabbed me and dragged me down the hall. "What the hell are you doing?" I hissed.
Westin was hot on our heels. "What's going on?"
"You need to get Nissa out of here."
I frowned up at my father. "What are you talking about?"
"Igno, he wants you, Nissa."
My stomach roiled. "What the hell are you talking about, Julian?"
"Somehow he thinks you would be the perfect trophy to taunt me. He wants you. Westin, you know what to do."
Westin was already dragging me toward the door. My heart raced with adrenaline but not nearly as much as it did when we ran straight into the man of the hour.
"Nissa, darling.” His voice dripped with mock sweetness. “You're not leaving, are you, sweetness?"
Westin threw an arm casually over my shoulders. "Nissa is not feeling well. We were just going to get some fresh air."
"Oh no, I can't have that. Beautiful girl, if you're not well, why don't you go lie down?"
Westin pulled me into his side. "I'll take her to her room."
Igno smiled that leering, sadistic smile. "Oh, I don’t think so. I'm sure your father has told you I prize loyalty to me above all else."
My father said, "Antonio, this is unnecessary. Any slight you believe my daughter has committed, I will address."
Antonio laughed. "Oh yes, the doting father. But you brought her into our business, so this is your doing. You have no one to blame but yourself. So your daughter stays until I get my ledger back."
"I don't know what you're talking about," I spat back.
He grinned down at me. "Ah yes, this is the part of the conversation where you deny everything, and then you start pleading for your life. And your father's. And this... this so-called boyfriend. I know he's a bodyguard."
Westin shook his head. "No. She's mine."
Igno laughed. "If you insist. Then you’ll be locked in with her.” He turned to Julian. “I assume the ledger is somewhere on the property."
My stomach suddenly became encased in ice as my father sputtered, "I don't know what you're talking about. I do not have your ledger."
"I don’t believe a single word you say, Julian. You have until noon to return my ledger to me… and save your daughter's life."
Westin angled his body so it was directly in front of mine. "Over my dead body."
Igno laughed. “I have to say, Julian, your daughter’s life is on the line and yet you are preoccupied with matters that aren’t nearly as important. I’d think you’d be begging to spare her."
Antonio nodded at one of his security men. "Lock them in her room.”
