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I frown, thinking back, trying to remember without the haze of guilt coating everything. The way Santos would look at Sophia made my skin crawl, but I had seen the flirty looks she had given him back. It didn’t matter, though. She was just a child. She didn’t know any better.
“When you came back, he thought you were Sophia and believed the lie you lived. That’s what you wanted, right? He had me watch you, and I knew. I’d been inside you after all.”
“There was a body.” I swallow down the bile, picturing the pieces of what was once human that were tossed into my cell with me. Santos told me it was Dorian, and I believed him. Why wouldn’t I?
“He went to a lot of trouble to convince me you were dead. Why? Why not just kill you? You were a loose end, after all.”
He laughs, but it sounds wrong, too much air wheezes out of him.
“I was the love of your pathetic life, but he was mine, and you took him from me.”
I blink at that. “You were lovers?”
“What we had went beyond sex.”
I laugh. “Poor, poor, Dorian. Santos had no interest in you or your tiny dick. You said so yourself. He liked underage, untried pussy.”
“Like you’d know. You weren’t even a virgin when I fucked you.”
“And why do you think that was?” Now it’s his turn to blink.
“You think Santos waited until he could marry me to take what he already considered his? You’re a fucking fool, but then I guess we both were. Where did you even come from? I would have known if you worked for Santos.” I close my eyes when the answer hits me.
“Dorian Kypianos,” I whisper, opening my eyes as the pieces fall together. “You’re from the Kypianos family, one of Andrew’s nephews. That’s how Santos made it out of captivity alive. You nursed him. You’re the one who tried to have me killed in my hotel room. He didn’t know who I was but you did.”
“You just couldn’t stay dead, could you? I needed you gone. It was bad enough listening to Santos rant about Calix and his precious Sophia. I saved him and all he cared about was them. I sure as hell wasn’t playing second fiddle to you too.
“That’s why you tried to kill Calix. You were jealous.”
“Calix was a fool. He should have loved Santos like I did,” he slurs, his eyes flickering.
“You loved a manipulative monster. I would know because once upon a time, I loved one too.”
I laugh before leaning over him. “You have to admit it’s kind of poetic that Calix was the one to kill Santos. You should have seen it when his head exploded all over the place.”
His monitor starts to beep like crazy as his breathing turns ragged. With a grin, I flick it off before I tug the pillow from under his head and hold it above him.
“No. You said if I talked, you’d leave me alone.”
“And you believed me? And you thought I was gullible. Say hello to Santos for me.” I press the pillow over his face and laugh when I remember he can’t even struggle.
I whistle a happy tune as the scent of terror permeates the air. Once I’m sure he’s gone, I place the pillow back and stroll out of the room without a care in the world. Instead of going back to my room, I take the stairwell down to the first floor and make my way out to the parking lot. I hail a cab and give the driver directions. He doesn’t blink an eye at my hospital gown.
I lean my head against the window and watch as the hospital fades from view, using the time alone to reinforce my defenses. I have no doubt the guys will track me down soon enough. By then, hopefully I’ll have rebuilt the walls around my heart to withstand any emotional blow thrown at me.
* * *
It takesthem two weeks to find me, though I can’t say I’ve made it easy for them. After taking care of some business and reassuring the girls that I was okay, I came back to the place where everything started.
I lie in the dirt and stare up at the sky. It’s crystal blue without a cloud in sight, so when a shadow falls over me, I sigh. “Took you long enough.”
“Well, bullet wounds take time to heal.”
I jump, sitting up as Calix sits down beside me. “I thought you were Rémy.”
“Sorry to disappoint you.”
“No, that’s not what I mean, I—”
