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It was impossible not to laugh at this point. “Let me guess. If I were to divulge information for certain purposes, I would be well rewarded. Choose one side over the other? Would I be a rich man?”
“I’m not suggesting you sell out, Jameson. That’s not the kind of man you are. Just be careful. There are new players who wouldn’t mind taking you down in the process of rising to the top. It would seem you managed to piss off several influential people, your partner Lachlan as well when he eliminated the former senator.”
“Lachlan had nothing to do with Marshall Winston’s demise and you know it.”
“That’s not the way people remember it.”
I laughed again, allowing my thoughts to drift to the issues in Paris. “I’ll keep that in mind. Incidentally, a young woman is possibly being held against her will in Santiago’s domain. Charlotte Darlington? Name ring a bell?”
He glanced over his shoulder. “She’s a drug runner, at least that’s what I’ve heard on the streets. Who’s she to you?”
I thought about Alexandra and sighed. “A friend of a friend.”
“She’s being used, which means when her resourcefulness runs out, she’ll be eliminated.”
“That’s what I thought.”
Manuel shook his head. “Stop meddling in things that don’t concern you. But remember what I told you about the information you have stored in some magical vault. It could be worth more than you think.”
“I’m not for sale and I thought up until this point neither were you. Whatever they promised or threatened, you need to think about how you’re going to look your kids in the eyes when you go home at night.” With that, I turned around to leave.
Alliances were typical, including with those in power who had no issue delving in the murky gray waters of morality. While I couldn’t consider myself entirely moral, there was no amount of money or the promise of power that would allow me to get into bed with a bastard like Santiago.
The trouble was he knew it.
That meant he’d do everything in his power to find a weakness.
There hadn’t been one to find.
Until now.
I headed to the main floor, barely acknowledging anyone along the way. I found Alexandra pacing the floor, a lioness in a cage. When she noticed me, I sensed more than just irritation. She was afraid of Santiago but not for herself. I’d been right about her cousin.
“Come with me,” I told her, waving off Troy when he attempted to flag me down. I waited as she moved in front of me, keeping my hand pressed on the small of her back as I guided her to my private elevator.
Once inside, she remained rigid, her mouth twisted as fury continued to consume her.
“You’re angry with me for a second time tonight,” she said, her usual defiant voice devoid of any emotion.
“I’m not angry with you at all. Disappointed that you didn’t leave the room immediately, but you were blindsided.”
“Why would they offer me money?”
“I’m not certain, Alexandra. Perhaps to keep you quiet regarding your cousin.” As soon as she looked away, I realized she knew more than she was willing to tell me. “Perhaps as a warning that they can take you anytime they want after your incident with one of his men earlier.”
“Fucking bastard.”
The simple acknowledgement was the first step in helping her. I led her into my office, closing the door. “Talk to me. How deep is your cousin in Santiago’s world?”
She sighed, her body starting to tremble as the adrenaline rush began to fade. “I think she’s in love with him.”
I moved to my desk, sitting on the edge. When I reached for her hand, she didn’t try to pull away. I tugged her closer until she was between my legs. “Listen to me. I know you care about her but at this point you can’t force her to leave the situation.”
Her jaw was clenched and she tried to pull away but I wouldn’t allow her to. “She’s smarter than this but I didn’t know how bad life had gotten for her. She didn’t tell me. When she left Montana, she was following the second or third guy she thought she was in love with. That was after a huge fight with her drug-addicted mother. The guy was supposed to be her knight in shining armor. She’d call me occasionally telling me about all the exciting locations she’d been. Then I didn’t hear from her for almost a year. When she called me out of the blue, she seemed so happy not to have a boyfriend. It was all a lie.”
“A small part of you feels responsible.”
“To a point. I had my own issues to deal with, ignoring several of her calls. Maybe if I’d been there. She had a terrible life, my aunt and uncle basically abandoning her. You don’t need to know the sordid details. She was a broken kid.”
