He wrinkles his nose and looks like this is the last thing he wants to answer, but he doesn’t deny me.
“The companies I recently acquired had some nefarious business dealings. When I bought the companies, I terminated those dealings, cutting off the financial ties. Some dangerous people got a little pissed.”
This confirms what I already suspected. “What good does it do them to have you dead, though?”
Owen shrugs. “Revenge?”
“So why don’t you have private security? Why haven’t you contacted the authorities? Seems like common sense to do those things.”
Owen sighs. “I had my suspicions about them wanting me dead, but that was truly the first attempt. You’re right. I need to hire someone.” He pauses and looks away from me. His following words are hushed. “I didn’t contact the authorities like I should have because even though I feel like I did the right thing by acquiring these companies and ending those business deals, they could arrest me for the past deeds of those companies, and I could lose everything.”
“You really think they could convict you for someone else’s business deals just because you acquired the company?”
“It took a few months after the acquisitions to end the business ties with the underground crime syndicates. They could use that against me.”
I take a deep breath. This got way more complicated, and all I can think about is how unfair all of this is—how bad people can get away with doing bad things, but if you try to stop it you could be the one to go to jail instead.
What a fucking mess.
I don’t respond to Owen and realize I’m blankly staring at him.
“I understand if this isn’t what you signed up for. I understand if you want to leave,” he says.
It’s exactly what I signed up for, but I don’t know if I can do what I’m supposed to. Not anymore.
I shake my head. “I don’t want to leave.”
My response surprises even me. I do want to run, but I find I don’t want to abandon him.
“Really?” he asks, and I can’t help but hear the sliver of hope in his voice.
“But you’re going to listen to me and do exactly what I say.”
The fucker has the audacity to smirk.
“You’re going to hire a private security team and private investigators. You’re going to protect yourself at all costs, and you’re going to find outexactlywho is trying to kill you. When you find out, we’re going to put them behind bars. Do you understand?”
I don’t think about how my knowledge and presence are suspicious, or maybe I don’t care anymore.
Owen looks at me with an expression I can’t seem to read. “Why do I get the impression you’ve done this before?”
Because I have, but I can’t let him know that. “Because after my dad died and I found out who was behind it all, I made sure they couldn’t get to me.” That part is true, but it was only with the CIA’s help that I was able to do it.
“You're kind of terrifying, you know that?” he asks with an undercurrent of amusement again.
“You don’t want to see the monster I will become if you don’t listen to me.”
He raises a brow.
“Don’t even think about it.”
Owen laughs, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “I’ll hire private security and investigators. Or rather, I’ll have my personal assistant do it.” He winks.
I roll my eyes, but I smile, too. “Fine. I’ll start tomorrow morning.”
“Until then, you’ll stay here,” he says, rising from the chair and walking over to me.
“Excuse me?”
