The man's smile widened. "I admire honesty."
Rocco shifted slightly. "Who are you?"
The stranger ignored him. "My name is Adrian Keller." The name seemed to mean nothing to Lark, but it seemed to mean everything to Rocco. Dante saw the change immediately.
"You know him,” Dante accused.
Rocco's jaw tightened. "I know the name."
Keller chuckled. "I should hope so." His eyes finally settled on Rocco. "You've spent the better part of two years dismantling companies that belonged to me." One of the STARR operators quietly muttered a curse, but Rocco never looked away.
"You run Black Horizon,” Rocco said.
Keller inclined his head. "I own Black Horizon."
Dante frowned. "What the hell is Black Horizon?"
"A logistics company," Keller answered pleasantly.
Rocco's expression turned grim. "No." He looked at Dante. "It's the shell company." Understanding hit Dante like a punch in the gut. The shipping manifests, the ports, and the missing women—everything pointed back to this man.
Lark looked between them. "I don't understand."
Keller looked almost sympathetic. "Your father worked for me."
The words landed like a bomb. "What?"
"He liked to pretend otherwise." Keller folded his hands behind his back. "But Rafael Santos has been an employee for quite some time."
Lark shook her head. "You're lying."
"I rarely lie,” Keller said.
"My father—" Lark started.
"Was useful,” Keller interrupted smoothly. "But usefulness has an expiration date." Dante watched the color drain from Lark's face. She'd spent her entire life believing Rafael Santos was the monster, and now someone even worse stood in front of them. Keller looked almost disappointed.
"Rafael became emotional where you were concerned."
Lark laughed bitterly. "My father doesn't have emotions."
"Oh, but he does.” Keller smiled. "He simply mistakes possession for affection." Dante wanted to argue, but then he remembered Rafael's obsession with controlling every aspect of Lark's life. The bastard had never loved her—he owned her.
"He refused to deliver you,” Keller said. The words made Dante's pulse spike.
"Deliver me where?" Lark whispered.
Keller looked at her almost fondly. "To me." Every instinct Dante possessed screamed. Something about this conversation was wrong—very wrong.
"You've become—” Keller seemed to search for the right word. "an inconvenience."
He looked toward Dante. "You." Then toward Rocco. "And you." Finally back to Lark. "Most especially you."
Dante slowly shifted until he completely blocked Lark from Keller's view. "You'll have to go through me."
"I assumed as much.” Keller didn't sound concerned. He sounded amused. "As I understand it, you've been remarkably loyal."
"I'm loyal to her." The admission came without thought or hesitation. Lark looked up at him, and he didn't take his eyes off Keller. "I don't care who you are." His voice was calm. "I don't care how much money you have." He cocked the hammer on his pistol. "You're not taking her."
