“What now?” I had to ask, although I doubted at his point he’d made some great plan. Maybe he did. I could tell by his eyes and his brooding demeanor he’d returned to the land of the dead. Now he was all about the anger and the need for revenge.
Funny how his Jekyll and Hyde personalities didn’t bother me nearly as much as they used to.
Maybe because I had some of that in me. More than I cared to admit.
That would make sense. I had the blood of monsters in my veins.
“I need to talk to my father’s Consigliere. He will explain everything.”
I had a feeling there should be an ‘or else’ attached to the end. “Consigliere. Mafia.”
He finally turned, moving closer, sitting down in the chair opposite. Leaning forward, he shifted his drink back and forth. “A trusted advisor. Your mother never alluded to you not belonging to your father.”
“Never. And my father never acted as if there was any animosity about my birth or my existence.”
“It’s possible she didn’t know.”
“What? That she had an affair with this criminal and didn’t remember? Then she married my dad?”
His sigh was heavy. “Unfortunately, my angel, there are some atrocities within our world where men of power believe they are owed something, including from women.”
“Like you?”
He took a swallow of his drink. “Much worse. But I told you I was a bad man.”
“You think my mother didn’t have a choice with Vitelli Russo.”
“I doubt she did.” He studied me carefully, taking a deep breath. “Is that the way you felt with me?”
Was it? He was truly asking, uncertain what my answer would be. Only I knew and it wasn’t something that was soul crushing or defied the woman inside. I wasn’t immune to the needs I’d felt or the burning desire that only he’d managed to satisfy. “No. If I’d told you no, you would have stopped.”
He half chuckled. “I’d like to think so.”
“I know and do you want to know why?” I shifted in my seat, tossing the blanket aside, leaning forward until I could feel his heated breath.
“Why?” Some light had returned to his eyes.
“Because I was able to peel away your layers, that thick armor you have. You admitted it and you can’t take it back.”
His eyes flashed in the fire and ice combination I’d come to adore. “I guess I can’t since the counselor spoke.”
“You’re thinking my dad might have been forced into attempting to convict your father.”
“If I had to guess, I’d say yes. Perhaps your dad was being paid very well to keep his mouth shut about you. Maybe he found out and Russo threatened to tell your mother. That’s the only thing that makes sense to me. But again, I will find out.”
“I’m a part of this.”
“Yes, you are.”
“Then we need to work together.”
The same eyebrow lifted. “Oh, yeah?”
Frowning, I realized we had a long road ahead even if we agreed to combine forces. “You know I don’t mince words, Alexander. You realize I need to get back to work for very important reasons. Don’t you? I need to find out how deep this insane ruse has gone. Only I can make certain connections. For example. Why did the DA suddenly force me to take the case?”
“You have a point. However,” he hesitated, reaching over the table and brushing his index finger down the bridge of my nose, “if I agree, we do so my way. Period. And you will follow every rule.”
“Or what?”
