"You’ll always be there for me." She swallows.
"Not anymore." I tug her fingers from the front of my shirt, then hold her palms between my own for just a second. Her soft skin, the scent of orange blossoms, the feel of her curves against mine... I commit it all to memory before I release her fingers and rise to my feet.
"Axel," she sits up, "where are you going?"
"Away from you."
"I am your wife," she jumps up to her feet, "my place is with you."
"Not if I divorce you."
"What?" Her voice trembles, "what do you mean?"
I glance at her over my shoulder, "I should have never married you in the first place. It was all a sham you know that, right? A way to get close to the Sovranos."
"You don’t mean it," she cries. "I know you love me. You told me so."
"It’s amazing how good pussy can make a man lose his head and say things in the heat of the moment. I—"
She raises her hand and her palm connects with my face. Pain lances across my nerve-endings, but that’s nothing compared to the agony that squeezes my chest.
"What’s happening here?" Seb’s voice sounds from the direction to the doorway. I turn to find him prowling in.
"Are you okay, Theresa?" He scowls.
"I am now," she says in a toneless voice.
"He knocked out the security guards on his way in," Massimo says in a disgusted voice as he reenters the room.
I glance at my phone and notice the notification on my security app. "I missed the warning that he breached my security measures," I growl.
"And he gave us the slip,cazzo!" Massimo rakes his fingers through his hair. "Who is he? If he was our father’s partner, then why haven’t we ever heard about him?"
"Who the fuck knows?" I raise a shoulder, "And are you actually surprised your father kept secrets from you?"
"What’s your connection to this Freddie character?" Luca steps inside and shuts the door behind him. "You’d better come clean,stronzo.It’s time for you to stop with the lies."
I glance from him to Massimo, who stares at me with a quizzical look on his face, to Seb, who surveys me with a shrewd gaze.
"I don't believe I owe you an explanation."
"Oh, you are hardly in a position to refuse," Luca laughs.
"Oh, but I think I am," I drawl.
Luca scowls and Massimo’s gaze narrows.
Behind me, I sense her drawing in a breath, but she doesn’t say anything. I dare not glance over my shoulder at her. If I do, I’ll weaken and I can’t afford that. All I have to do is make sure that she is safe… Focus, focus on that.
"Is that right?" Seb says in a soft voice.
"Indeed," I step away, creating distance from all of them, "you see, I think I hold all of the cards here." I glance at each of them in turn, then fold my arms over my chest, "I’m a cop."
45
Axel
"What?" Massimo gapes.