Sin and Deception (Sin and Lies #2)

Chapter 7

Seven

T HEO

My heart raced at the sight of her, Nerine.

She was alive.

She believed she could hide behind that disguise, but I recognized her face anywhere. Every inch of skin, every curve of her body, was engraved in my memory. Even with a blindfold on, I would have known it was her with just one touch.

Nerine Angelos. No one in the world could ever compare to her. And now here she was, sitting at a table in the hotel restaurant with a wealthy and lively woman.

I immediately noticed the security team surrounding them—three men at one table and two at another, all trying to blend in but failing miserably .

However, I noticed their tells immediately.

The dark suits, the bulge of their weapons at their sides, and the way their eyes darted around while they pretended to converse. It was obvious.

I sat at the bar, positioned slightly behind Nerine and out of her view but close enough to catch their enlightening conversation. My heart lifted when I heard her decline her friend's offer to match her with a man. Could it be that she had stayed untouched by others? I couldn't help but wish for that possibility.

But by the tone of her voice, Nerine seemed completely uninterested in pursuing the “dick” her friend joked about.

Although I was glad about her lack of interest, it saddened me to witness the visible distress on her face. Her whole demeanor expressed a feeling of defeated sorrow. Her shoulders drooped, and her eyes appeared heavy with sadness.

This wasn’t like any Nerine I had seen before.

Where was the fiery temptress who loved to argue with me? The woman who insisted she alone knew what was right from wrong? Where was the goddess whom I was both obsessed with and maddened by?

My first instinct upon spotting her was to lift her over my shoulder, carry her somewhere private and safe, interrogate her, and obtain the answers I’d desperately needed over the past few years.

When I saw she was safe, I held back. What I needed now was information. If I knew anything about Nerine, it was that she wouldn’t provide answers willingly. If I wanted to understand why she’d disappeared, I’d have to figure it out on my own first.

Now, she called herself Rina, not just changing her appearance but also her name. And here she was in the middle of the fucking desert, looking perfectly groomed with no visible injuries.

As if the wound in my soul wasn’t enough, it tore open, festering with the knowledge that whatever had happened, she had left willingly. No one had taken her or compelled her to go. She had decided to vanish without saying anything to Xander or me. It was painful to realize that she could have called us at any point over the past two years.

I tightened my jaw to control my feelings and consider the situation rationally. There was more to this story, as there often is. I scrutinized her closely, observing every part of her as she moved through the world with a blend of freedom and persistent caution.

Her contacts couldn't hide the misery and fear swirling in her eyes. I couldn't help but feel a wave of protectiveness for her, wondering if someone had pressured her into this situation.

Impatient and restless, I listened to Nerine's friend speak, fighting the urge to interrupt. The security around them was imposing, but the element of surprise was our best chance of getting out of this unscathed.

I quickly pulled out my phone to text Xander about my discovery. Once he heard the news, he'd regret staying cooped up in our hotel room instead of coming down to grab a bite to eat, as I suggested. But for now, I needed his expertise in this situation.

ME: I found her.

XANDER: WTF? Where?

ME: In the bistro closest to the high roller’s tower, she's going by the name ‘Rina.’ She looks completely different.

XANDER: Unbelievable! I’m on my way down.

ME: No. Wait. She doesn’t know I saw her, and I want it to stay that way. Hack into Ida’s hotel database to learn more about her.

XANDER: That’s harder than you think. Places like this are locked down tighter than Fort Knox.

ME: I have faith in your abilities.

XANDER: Asshole. Tell me more while I search.

A feeling of unease settled in my stomach as I typed my response to Xander. Something wasn't right about this whole situation.

ME: She's having lunch with another woman—someone wealthy and influential, considering the security team surrounding them. They are discussing going out, and the lady is trying to persuade Nerine to find someone to fuck.

XANDER: Over my dead body! You better stop it, or I will kick your ass.

ME: Keep dreaming. I’m the one person whose ass you can’t kick. Lucky for you, she doesn't seem too keen on the idea.

XANDER: Of course not. She knows she belongs to us.

But even as Xander mentioned this, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

XANDER: I found her. Rina Leto. She’s leasing an apartment in the hotel's residential tower. Apartment 1106. Can I leave our room now and see her for myself?

ME: No, keep digging. We need to know everything we can find out about this Rina Leto cover.

A few minutes later, he replied with more details.

XANDER: Rina Leto is the only child of Herbert and Tonya Leto, born and raised in Kansas City. Her parents died during her second year at Missouri State in a car hydroplaning accident. She studied business and project management and has no criminal record. She embodies the perfect girl next door, as clean as a whistle.

I clenched my jaw. Devani lied to me and hadn’t given two shits about it.

ME: This whole identity is airtight, which means only one group could have orchestrated this. Fucking Solon.

XANDER: Shit. We need to prove it.

ME: It confirms that Nerine didn’t leave us of her own free will. She wouldn’t have been able to conceal an operation like her kidnapping from us.

XANDER: Shit. This keeps getting worse. What now?

ME: Meet me in the lobby.

XANDER: On my way.

I left Nerine to continue her conversation with her friend. I headed toward the elevator banks leading to the main hotel corridor. A sense of dread settled over me. If Solon were involved in all this, things would become much more complicated and dangerous.

As I waited, I saw Xander exiting a lift and striding confidently toward a distant corner of the bustling casino, not acknowledging me.

Keeping my distance, I discreetly followed him and then slipped into a seat at one of the electronic gaming booths.

As I inserted a card, I waited for the machine to show my available balance. I began playing a round while watching Xander amid the flashing lights and sounds of the machines. A crease marred his usually smooth brow, and the tight set of his jaw revealed his urgent need to act now and think later.

"Is she in there?" Xander's voice cut through the noise as he finally turned to face me between two machines on the opposite side.

I nodded, keeping my eyes on him despite the temptation to sneak glances at the woman we were both looking for. "Yes, but we can't confront her until she's alone."

His frustration was palpable as he ran a hand through his hair.

“Keep it together. Remember, I’m the one she fights with. You are the peacemaker, gentle and sweet. Don’t unleash your beast here.”

Xander wore a mask of cold-hearted ruthlessness in his enforcer role. His methods were calculatedly vicious. He rarely, if ever, raised his voice, but when he did, his deadly monster emerged, and he showed no mercy.

On the other hand, I was known for being cold and calculating—a manipulator and diplomat. I never truly allowed my emotions to influence my actions, except when inflicting my punishments, which were vicious and fucked up, especially since I enjoyed instruments or two during those times.

When it came to Nerine, Xander and I were totally opposite.

The woman knew exactly how to push my buttons to the point where I wasn’t sure if I wanted to fuck her or hang her off the side of a building. Meanwhile, Xander knew how to calm her down. He was her confidant and the one who smoothed her jagged edges.

"Does she look healthy?" he asked, attempting to hide his concern with sarcasm.

"Aside from her unfortunate choice of goldish dark blonde hair and brown contacts, she seems miserable," I replied. "But it's definitely her."

Xander let out a deep sigh. "Couldn't she have chosen a name that wasn't basically a shortened version of her own?"

My irritation grew at the question. "Honestly, it shocked me to see her here in plain sight. How could she think that changing her appearance would fool people who know her?"

"I thought she was smarter than that," Xander muttered.

We focused on two men hanging around outside a nearby restaurant, and my gaze sharpened as I recognized them instantly. "Stratos's guys."

"Yep," Xander confirmed with a nod. "With his men in Atlantic City and these bastards in Vegas, they're clearly searching for her, too. This isn't good."

"No kidding," I growled. "Do you think these fuckers saw her? "

"Not sure," he shrugged. "We won't know until Nerine walks out."

"That damn book," Xander cursed under his breath, "it led all of us right to her."

"And now the other idiots will figure it out, too," I finished grimly.

"She has no idea how much danger she's in," Xander said through clenched teeth.

"And she's just planning on having a night out to hook up," I added, recalling her earlier conversation with her friend.

"You said she wasn't interested," Xander said with a hint of frustration. “Why are you pissed?”

"She must have at least considered it if she's here instead of with us. But enough about that," I said, trying to refocus on the task. "We need to act fast. We can't wait."

"Fine. I'll handle this personally," Xander declared, his body tense with anticipation of finally confronting Nerine.

"Tonight," I agreed with determination. "Let's hang back and see if anyone follows her when she leaves."

"You know I won't hesitate to eliminate any threats," Xander stated firmly, reaching inside his coat and resting his hand on his gun.

"I know, Xander," I reassured him, looking into his determined eyes with understanding. "I trust you more than anyone."

"Just saying," he grumbled, refocusing on the restaurant entrance as we waited for Nerine to emerge .

"Remember, keep it cool," I reminded him. "We're almost there."

"It's about damn time," Xander muttered under his breath. "I'm ready to end this once and for all."

A surge of determination swept through me at his words. We were finally on the verge of getting Nerine back and ending this dangerous game.

My heart raced with anticipation at the thought of finally seeing Nerine again. A restlessness pricked every nerve in my body as I focused on keeping Xander calm. However, I was too preoccupied to notice it.

I worried about my self-control when I was alone with her—the intense desire to both kiss and punish her raced through my veins. The conflicting emotions battled within me, leaving me uncertain about which would prevail when we were face to face.

But one thing was sure: Xander and I would unleash our fury on Nerine for the hurt and pain she had caused us.

I wondered if she could sense us getting closer. Once strong and nurtured, our bond might still exist despite her absence. Was the hair on the back of her neck standing up in warning? Did her body instinctively know that danger was drawing near?