“That’s so sweet.” A pang of longing accosts me from nowhere, causing me to momentarily frown.
“I have the best husband in the world.” Selena places her hand on his chest. “He always makes me feel like a princess.”
“A queen, my love. You’re nothing short of a queen.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” I say, swooning at the way they are staring at one another.
At one time, I used to wish for a love like that. Until my father decided to manipulate me into doing his dirty work and I lost most control over my life.
“I’ll escort you to meet Clara for your tour,” Selena says, but I wave her away.
“Please stay. Just tell me where to go, and I’ll make my way there.”
I’m deep in thought as I walk down the long hallway toward the main lobby where Clara is waiting for me. I’m one hundred percent certain now that Drew Manning is targeting sex traffickers to take them down. I think it’s personal for him. So, why the fuck are Dad and the board hellbent on eliminating him? If they asked me to deliver his intel so they could handle it themselves, I would understand. But they want him dead, and the million-dollar question is why? Unless heistargeting the heirs. Of course, they’d have to neutralize that threat.
Why would Drew go after the boys who are in line to succeed their fathers in our world? He doesn’t even know there’s a higher power. Few elite do, so what am I missing? Something stinks to the high heavens about this entire mission, and I’m going to find out what is truly going on before I hand anything over.
I won’t sentence Drew Manning to his death unless I’m convinced he deserves it.
I’m so lost in thought I’m not watching where I’m going, and I almost collide with the thin blonde girl as I round the corner. “I’m so sorry,” I say, reaching out to hold her arm before she falls.
“Don’t touch me,” she hisses, pulling her arm back before a huge sob wracks her frail form.
Her eyes are the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen, but they are awash with pain. The kind that speaks of untold horrors and deep-seated agony. Her agony is visceral, and my heart hurts for this stranger. I can only imagine the kinds of things she might have endured.
Removing a packet of tissues from my purse, I silently hand them to her.
She sniffs, staring at me with suspicion as she whips the tissue packet from my hands and proceeds to blow her nose.
Why does she seem familiar to me? I’m very sure I’ve never met her before.
“Can I do anything to help?” I ask as she dabs at her eyes, feeling completely useless when faced with this level of pain.
“Unless you have a time machine or you know any lobotomists, I don’t see how you’re any fucking use to me,” she says, shooting me a filthy look before pushing past me.
ChapterTwenty
Drew
The hallways of Manning Motors are eerily empty as I lock my office door and head out. I am nearing the elevator when I come across Athena, typing away on her laptop in the office that was assigned to her with the door open. I pause in the doorway, admiring the look of fierce concentration on her face as she’s lost in whatever she is working on. “What are you doing here on a holiday?” I ask.
“Jesus, fuck,” she rasps, slamming a hand over her chest as she whips her head up from the screen.
Her breathy voice stirs some hidden memory, and I frown, trying to pinpoint what about it resonates with me.
“You scared me almost to death. Do you make a habit of creeping up on people?”
“Not usually,” I lie, “and sorry.” Her chest is heaving, her breaths exaggerated, and my lips lift in a smile.
“Liar. I bet you were that kind of brother. The one who loved jumping out from behind trees and doors and scaring the hell out of your sister just for shits and giggles.”
A chuckle rumbles my chest. “You couldn’t be more wrong.” That stuff was way too tame for me, and we stopped being playful kids the second our mom was taken from us. “I’ve always been the one protecting Abby from that kind of shit.”
She leans back in her chair, and soft, wavy, blonde hair floats over her shoulders and down her back. She’s dressed casually today in jeans and a sweater with minimal makeup on her face, and she’s never looked more beautiful.
“I always wanted an older brother,” she says, chewing on the corner of her lip. “I used to wish for a brother like you. Someone to look out for me and make all the bad shit go away.”
“What bad shit?” My frown returns as I wonder who has hurt her. Then I wonder why the fuck I care. I might not have discovered any dirt on Athena Lewis, and searching through her system activity logs hasn’t identified anything suspicious, but I still don’t trust her. I’ve watched the cameras. I’ve seen her prowling around my building. To innocent eyes, she is a curious newbie roaming our hallways, taking it all in. To a trained killer like me, she’s staking the joint and plotting a plan of attack.
