“Monsieur Bancroft, the d’Auvrelle family looks forward to a mutually beneficial relationship with the Obsidian Syndicate.”
***
“You’resure.”
A bit later, Gideon sighs heavily on the other end of the line. “Positive. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” I say tightly, exhaling heavily. “Just—shit.”
“You were hoping it wasn’t true?”
I nod. “I figured it was. But I was hoping for a miracle,” I sigh.
Fuck.
I drum my fingers on the edge of my desk.
“He’s going to fucking hate me for this, isn’t he?”
Gideon exhales. “I doubt it will be a fun conversation?—”
The door to my home office suddenly bangs open. For a fraction of a second, when I see Evelina standing there with a wild look in her eyes, my dick misreads the situation and immediately jumps to the conclusion that she’s here to play.
…but then I see the gun in her shaking hands, pointed right at me.
“Gideon,” I mutter quietly. “I’m going to have to call you back.”
Evelina is shaking like a leaf, her trembling hands making the barrel of the gun jump wildly. I hang up and slip my phone into my jacket pocket.
Her face crumples, her lip quivering as tears bead in her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” she chokes, her voice breaking.
“Is that loaded?” I growl quietly.
She nods quickly.
“What’s going on, baby,” I murmur, keeping my hands flat and spread on the desk in front of me.
Evelina chokes back a shudder, her throat bobbing. “Diego Torvallés’s heir,” she blurts, her wide eyes stabbing into mine. “I need to know who it is.Right now!”
My jaw tenses. “What do you mean, Diego’s?—”
“I know you know, Vaughn!!” she blurts, sucking in a lungful of air. “Please, justtell mewho it is, okay?! Just tell me!”
She’s wound so tight, a car horn outside might have her jerking that trigger.
And with that barrel swinging all over the place in my direction, I’m not sure that’s a roulette wheel I’m willing to spin.
She flinches as I stand slowly, keeping my hands in view. “Tell me what’s going on, princess,” I murmur.
“Goddammit, Vaughn!” She chokes as tears flood her face. “Just tell me!”
“Is thisyouasking,” I growl, “or someone else.”
“Does it matter?!” she shrieks.
“It very much does.”
