Page 278 of Vicious Temptation

Thiago knew about my family and our history, but none of that information started with him. Someone else gave it to him.

Helios gave it to him.

They knew exactly who I was and sent someone to get close enough that I never saw them coming. If they did it once, they can do it again. They know who my family is, where we live, and what we’re capable of. They have access to information we didn’t even know existed and enough reach to put one of their own right in front of me without raising anyone’s suspicion.

I pull away from Papá and wipe away the remaining tears from my cheeks.

“What is it?” he asks.

“It’s not over.”

“What do you mean?”

“Thiago betrayed me, but he wasn’t the one making the decisions.” Saying his name still hurts, but I force myself to continue. “There are people above him who know everything about us. They could be the ones looking for the Ledger and the ones who coordinated the attack four years ago.”

“What aren’t you telling me, Remi? Who are they?”

“There’s an organization called Helios.”

Sixty-Eight

remi

Walking into a room full of my family feels intimidating instead of comforting.

Just a few weeks ago, I stood in this same spot defending my decision to be with Thiago. I asked them to believe in his character despite their suspicions because I believed in him.

Now I have to tell them I was wrong.

I take in the room. My parents stand behind the large desk, Papá’s hand resting at the small of Mamá’s back. Uncle Derek and Aunt Eva sit shoulder to shoulder across from Uncle Silas and Aunt Leni, with Santino beside them. Matteo, Gio, and Madden linger by the window.

On a television mounted to the wall, Val and Maksim watch from Moscow. Every pair of eyes settles on me, but I don’t find anger or disappointment on a single face.

That almost makes it worse.

I lower myself into the empty chair and stare down at my hands.

“I’m sorry.”

No one says anything.

I wait for someone to question me, or remind me that they warned me about him and I refused to listen, but none of it comes.

They just give me the time I need to continue.

“I trusted someone I shouldn’t have.” I lift my head, even though meeting their gazes is harder than I expected. “I told him more than I ever should have. About myself…and our family.”

The shame I’ve been carrying since last night weighs even heavier.

“I can’t stop thinking about that.” I take a slow breath and steady myself. I didn’t come here to cry. I’ve done enough of that. “I don’t know what else to say except that I’m sorry for all of it.”

“Remi.” Aunt Leni is the first to speak. “Look at me.”

I lift my head.

“You made a mistake,” she says. “A painful one. But that’s all it was. It is not a measure of your intelligence, your strength, or your worth.”

My eyes start to burn, and I blink hard.