She shook her head. “What are you talkingabout?”
He walked to his bag on the table in the suite, removed a folder full of paper, and handed it to her. “Primo worked with Malcolm and Anastos to kidnap you fromCapri.”
She took the folder but didn’t move to open it. “I don’tbelieveyou.”
He nodded at the folder. “It’s allthere.”
Her throat rippled as she swallowed. She opened the folder and paged through the sheets of paper. A moment later they slid to the floor, her hands falling to hersides.
He crossed the space between them. put his hands on her shoulders. “I’msorry.”
She shook off his hands. “You’ve known thiswholetime?”
He nodded. “I wanted toprotectyou.”
She backed away from him. “By lyingtome?”
Her words weren’t a surprise. He’d known she would be angry. But she was so calm, her voice so flat. Nothing scared him more than that. It was like watching her disappear insideherself.
“You’d been kept prisoner for two months, Aria. I wanted to give you time torecover.”
Her eyes had gone glassy, her shoulders slumping indefeat.
She shook her head and backed toward the door. “I can’t do this. I can’t do anyofthis.”
“Where are you going?” he asked. “Let me come with you, Aria. It’s not safe for you to go out alonerightnow.”
She opened the door and spun to face him, her face a maskofpain.
“It’s not safe for me anywhererightnow.”
He wanted to tell her she was always safe with him. Always. But she was gone before the words emerged from histhroat.
He fought the urge to go after her, to follow her at least. It was the last thing she would want. He picked up his phone, dialed Coleinstead.
“Boss?”
“Follow her,” Damian said. “Keep your distance, but keephersafe.”
“Done.”
Damian disconnected the call. He stood in silence, replaying everything that had been said, the expressions of disbelief and pain that had crossed Aria’sdelicateface.
She’d seen too much pain already. Damian was going to make Primo pay for visiting more of itonher.
He let the fury build in him until he couldn’t stand it a moment longer, until it crawled out of his skin. Then he swept his laptop off the table, sending the computer crashing againstthe wall.