Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 127249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
His answer is gruff. “Yes.”
My pulse quickens, and it’s not in a good way. “How long ago?”
“Two weeks,” he says roughly.
My breath catches. “Why?”
Shutting down his emotions, he shoves a hand in his pocket and watches me with a stoic expression. “Why what?”
“Why did we wait so long?”
He works his jaw from side to side. “We were separated for a while.”
The impact of his answer is like a physical blow. I can’t imagine not being with Dante.
“Why?” I ask again, stunned.
He watches me unblinkingly. “We had trust issues.”
I wait, but he doesn’t elaborate on his cryptic answer.
He’s hiding something.
My pulse picks up even more, my throat constricting. “Does that mean we got through our problems?”
His eyes tighten with something close to regret. “We’re working on them.”
A million scenarios run through my head. I can think of hundreds of reasons that would make us lose faith in each other, but none of them makes sense.
We won’t be the first couple to have problems. I just never thought it would happen to us. The connection between us has always been too strong. What we share is special. That feeling has become my religion, the solid rock on which I built my entire life. To have the only thing I’ve ever truly believed in ripped away is too much. I don’t think I can bear it.
Feeling a panic attack coming on, I shut the album and put it back on the table. I should question Dante more, but I’m too scared of the answers. I’m not ready.
I nod, managing to give him a tremulous smile. He doesn’t offer more information, which both terrifies and fills me with relief.
He comes closer. “If it’s any consolation, we would’ve ended up together, no matter what.”
At last, there’s a truth I recognize. Then why does it feel as if my heart is being fed through a blender and left in a pulp?
He goes back to his desk and takes a phone from a drawer that he holds out to me.
Moving on autopilot, I go over and take the phone. “Is it mine?”
His mouth lifts in one corner, but the effort it costs him shows. “It was time for an upgrade.”
I stare at the brand-new phone lying on my palm.
“I already set it up,” he says as if that should make me feel better.
I look up, my lips stiff from the smile I try to keep plastered there. “Thank you.”
“My number is programmed. I want you to call me if you need me.” He grips my chin and caresses the line of my jaw with his thumb. “Any time of the night or day. Understand?”
I can only nod again.
“Good girl,” he says in a husky voice, bending down to kiss me.
Chapter
Sixteen
Dante
* * *
Reino enters my study but stops short when he spots Tatiana. “Excuse me. I didn’t realize you were busy.”
Tatiana pulls away from my embrace and hooks her hair behind her ear. “I, um, was just leaving.”
He throws a thumb over his shoulder. “I can come back later.”
Not meeting my eyes, Tatiana rushes across the floor. “I have to check on Noah. I left him alone in the playroom.”
“Sorry.” Reino shoots me an apologetic look. “This is urgent.”
My gaze lingers on my wife as she hurriedly leaves the room. When she asked me why we were separated, I could’ve told her the truth. I could’ve come clean. But the time isn’t right. With everything she’s going through, I’m not going to dump our fuck-ton of bad history on her all at once. It’s better that she comes to terms with the past slowly. It won’t be productive for her mental healing if she has to start hating me so soon again.
“We found something,” Reino says under his breath as he closes the door. “I just emailed you.” He approaches my desk with brisk strides. “You’ll want to see it.”
I take a seat and open my laptop. An encrypted message waits in my inbox. When I click on the link, a wanted person notice opens with a photo of Tatiana under her false ID number and name.
Fuck.
I scan over the information. She’s wanted for questioning regarding an explosion that took place at a bank.
“Check this out.” Reino takes his phone from his pocket and swipes over the screen. “Our informant also sent this.”
He shows me a security video recording of Tatiana doing an eye scan at the entrance of a building. She’s wearing the clothes in which I found her in the store. Two men in suits flank her.
Every muscle in my body pulls taut, my fighting instinct kicking in as if a shot of adrenaline has been injected straight into my veins.
The feed cuts to where she enters the building and crosses the lobby. I see red at the scene that plays out in front of me. The biggest of the two men has his meaty hand locked around her arm. He’s a fucking dead man. Both of those men are.