4. Leo
Chapter four
Leo
I couldn’t sleep one goddamn wink last night.
Why? Because for the first time in my life, I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing.
My fingers lock behind my head as I stare up at the ceiling, my mind racing with the events of the past twenty-four hours.
I’m married. Married to the girl of my dreams. The one I used to chase around the estate as we stayed up late catching fireflies and stargazing from the safety of being inside the Alarie Estate.
The one I had once envisioned making my wife.
But this is not how I imagined our marriage.
Scarlett deserved a lavish ceremony, one she would remember forever, including wearing a goddamn wedding dress that would elicit one of her heart-stopping smiles. But all I saw as she walked into the dreary cold room was sorrow, fear, and trepidation. It was as if she suddenly realized she was making the biggest mistake of her life by marrying me. And fuck, if that didn’t make me feel worse for playing along with my mother’s ridiculous scheme.
Sliding my hand down my face in frustration, I pause. Lifting it, I stare at my palm, remembering how it felt holding Scarlett’s delicate, tiny hand in mine. Only after my fingers intertwined with hers did her breathing steady and her body relax.
Turning my hand over, I gaze at the distorted flesh on the back of it. The skin never healed from the flames, leaving behind red, angry scarring. I’ve never once cared about this scar or what others thought of it. Heck, scars are a part of this world. Fought and earned daily. But as Scarlett’s fingers leisurely trailed over it, her eyes taking in every inch of it, I worried it would repel her.
Instead, she only gravitated toward it as if a scar of this magnitude was familiar to her.
Although, as far as I know, she has no physical scarring, which is a relief. If she did, I’m sure it would only be a constant reminder to her of what she endured.
I rotate to my side, the blanket falling lower on my bare waist, as I glare at the empty space beside me. The soft black satin calls to me as I rest my hand on the vacant spot where my wife should be sleeping but isn’t. Sighing, I clutch the fabric. I used to dream of sweeping Scarlett away for our honeymoon, perhaps to one of the family’s private islands, where we would spend weeks soaking in every second wrapped up with each other. Instead, I brought her to my house, gave her a quick tour of her new home, and then showed her to her bedroom.
A goddamn wedding night to remember.
Sitting up, I place my legs on the side of the bed, stretching my neck from side to side, when an image from last night pops into my head. The one when Scarlett followed me to my room, her eyes downcast, her fingers anxiously twisting together before her.
She thought I was going to fuck her. She thought I was a cruel monster, expecting her to hand herself over to me, and it shattered my fucking heart.
But she needs to know that, no matter what, I won’t touch her. Not anymore. And that’s not because I don’t want to. In fact, my cock hardens with the mere memory of once being given that privilege. Tasting her. Devouring her. Holding her in my arms as we slept under the stars.
God, it was the best moment of my life. One I constantly find myself thinking about. Dreaming about. Wishing we could repeat.
But I won’t do any of that with her again.
I can’t.
Because the world may fear me, and I’m okay with that. But not my wife. Never her. If there’s even a second in our marriage where she’s frightened by me, I’ll know I’ve failed her.
This marriage is her show to run. She’s the lead star in our story, and me? Well, I’m merely the supporting character in the background, always there to kill anyone who dares to upset her.
Rays of sunlight begin sneaking across the floor, the sun peeking through the gap between the charcoal drapes. Standing, I twist my body, every muscle coming alive as I head to the shower. Hot water droplets coat my skin, tension releasing from my shoulders. Lathering the shampoo in my hair, I think, What would a husband do for his wife the morning after their wedding?
I grin. Probably wake her up by— No. I shake my head. No.
This isn’t a normal marriage.
This is a marriage for her protection.
A marriage with an expiration date. Whenever that might be.
But before our end date, I can at least prove to her she’s safe with me. That I’m the same guy I was seven years ago—the one who would do literally anything for her. The only difference is that there are just a few more tattoos, a couple more scars, and a whole lot more muscles.
After getting dressed, I step out of my room, noticing the light on in Scarlett’s room, peeking out from under her door. I know it was on all night since I walked through the house three times during the late hours, ensuring all security precautions were taken. Because no one will ever get the chance to lay a hand on her again.
Making my way into the kitchen, I find my loyal companion of the past five years eagerly waiting for me after Madeleine dropped him off this morning.
“Hey, Brutus. You hungry, big guy?”
Brutus wags his short tail against the tiled floor, tilting his head to the side as he awaits this morning’s breakfast. I reach into the tin on the counter, scoop out a heaping pile of dog food, and pour it into his silver dish. He sits there waiting…and waiting…and waiting until I finally say the magic word that has him dashing toward his dish in a hurry as if he hasn’t eaten anything in days: “Attack!”
I laugh while watching him devour his food. Being an Italian bullmastiff, he looks intimidating as fuck, with his shiny black fur coating his muscular body. But if the truth ever got out that he’s really just a giant cuddle monster who sleeps with his favorite toy tucked by his side, it would destroy his reputation. So, it’s a secret that remains kept between me and him.
“Maybe Scarlett might like some breakfast. What do you think, Brutus?”
He grunts between his mouthfuls of food, and I take that as a yes. Opening the fridge, I grab the essentials: eggs, bread, bacon, peppers, and potatoes. As I crack the eggs into the skillet, I hear a blood-curdling scream and drop everything. I turn in haste, knocking over the potatoes, and immediately realize Brutus is no longer by his food bowl.
“ Cazzo !”
I run toward the stairs, taking two at a time, and find Scarlett in the hallway pressed against the wall, her eyes pinched shut and her hands flat against her sides. Big, bad Brutus is sitting in front of her, wagging his tail while giving her a look that says, “Lady, pet me.”
I can’t help the tiny smirk that appears on my face. “Scarlett.” Taking a few steps, I put myself between her and Brutus, my chest just a few inches from hers. But as I look down at her, I notice the tremble passing through her body, and my smirk falls. “It’s okay,” I say softly. “This is Brutus, my dog. He looks scary, but I assure you that he’s a big softy. He won’t hurt you. He won’t even hurt a damn mouse.”
Her eyes hesitantly open, looking right up into mine before she quickly glances around me and directly at Brutus.
“He’s just waiting for you to pet him,” I add.
“He…he won’t bite me?”
“Not unless you try to take his favorite toy away from him.”
Her shoulders relax a fraction. “What should I do?”
“Let him smell you. Reach out your hand,” I encourage.
She nods and takes a deep breath before slowly holding out her hand, but just as she gets close to him, she rears back. “I’m sorry.” She shakes her head, curling in on herself.
“Let me help you.”
Her blue irises meet mine, blinking a few times, appearing unsure. But finally, she whispers, “O-okay.”
I reach for her hand, holding it gently in mine. My large fingers envelop her small ones, her skin tingling beneath my touch, sending a burst of heat to the center of my chest. She has no clue what she does to me. What she has always done to me.
My eyes find hers. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Now or ever.
Her eyes never leave mine when she says, “I know.”
With her hand in mine, I slowly advance toward Brutus and get close enough for him to sniff our joined hands. I cock a brow at him, silently pleading with him to be on his best fucking behavior. His wet nose touches the tips of her fingers, and his tail wags even faster, his butt soon wiggling in excitement.
“He likes you,” I note, placing her hand on the top of his head. I move my hand to the side of hers and scratch behind his ear, knowing he loves it when I do that. His head tilts to the side as his jaw slightly opens, thoroughly enjoying the attention. Scarlett moves her fingers, mimicking my motion on the opposite side of his head. His foot taps the floor in pleasure, and she smiles.
She fucking smiles.
And it’s not one of the fake ones she throws on when she pretends she’s okay, but a genuine, beautiful goddamn smile.
“You really are a good boy, aren’t you?” Her eyes sparkle as she watches him in amusement.
I swear Brutus nods as, suddenly, Scarlett gets down on her knees and scratches the side of his stomach. The poor sucker doesn’t stand a chance as he plops to the ground, rolls on his side, and stretches his legs out in the air.
“You want a belly rub?” she asks. The palms of her hands glide over his soft black fur until reaching his stomach and rubbing the hell out of him. God, he looks like he’s in heaven.
And is it wrong if I admit to being jealous of my damn dog?
Ding. The sound of the doorbell ends our happy little family moment.
Scarlett gives Brutus one more pat before standing beside me. “Who’s that?”
“That would be your bodyguard.”
Her eyes widen, and her lips part as if she wants to say something, but she quickly closes them, glaring down at the floor.
“What is it?” I ask.
“I thought…” She scrunches her brows, her lips pursing to the side. She looks so fucking adorable. “I thought with me marrying you that you were kind of going to be my bodyguard?” Her cheeks turn a soft shade of pink as she glances up at me.
“I am.” I start to reach for a loose strand of her hair, eager to tuck it behind her ear, but stop myself, clasping my hands behind my back. “But you need someone by your side when I’m not with you. Someone who will be able to keep you safe.”
She stares off in the distance. “And you trust this man to be left alone with me?”
I see the anxiety tiptoeing across her features. She thinks I assigned some random man to her safety. But I would never do that. Not when her safety is the only thing that’s been on my mind day and night for as long as I can remember.
“I trust him with my own life, which is why I’m assigning him to you,” I state firmly. “Besides.” I take a step toward the stairs. “You already know him.”
“I do?” She tilts her head to the side, curiosity evident.
“Come on, Firefly. Let’s go say hi to an old friend.”
She follows me closely down the stairs, the smell of her floral perfume floating in the space between us. I inhale deeply, the notes of jasmine bringing me right back to seven years ago.
To a time when everything seemed so simple.
My hand twists down on the doorknob, opening it as Scarlett waits behind me, peeking around me to see our guest.
“Leo, long time no see.”
Eli Lyon, my oldest friend and the only man I trust with my wife’s life who is not family by blood, stands before the threshold.
“It’s been too long.” I clasp his shoulder and then turn to see Scarlett taking in his appearance, but I know he doesn’t appear familiar to her.
“Hey, Scarlett. Remember me?” he asks, his English accent a little thicker than usual since he’s been away. It’s been years since she’s seen him, and the last time she did, he didn’t exactly look like this. Muscular. Lean. Powerful. But being in the military for years can do that to a man.
She hesitantly shakes her head, frowning.
“It’s Eli,” I tell her. The moment I say his name, her eyes widen with recognition.
“Eli?” Her lips curve up as her eyes scan over him. “You look…”
“Not fat,” he answers proudly, running his hand over his flat stomach.
She fights the smile tugging on her lips. “I was going to say different.” She shakes her head. “I’m sorry. I should have recognized you.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve lost almost sixty pounds and put on all muscle since the last time I saw you. So, can’t say I blame you for not remembering the guy who tagged along with the two of you everywhere as kids.” His smile grows. “It’s good to see you again.”
“It’s good to see you, too,” she responds, her whole body appearing relaxed. “And if I remember correctly, you may have tagged along with us, but I think there was always a certain someone tagging along with you.”
Eli clears his throat, appearing slightly rattled as he straightens his jacket, his neck becoming the faintest shade of pink. “I’m sorry I missed your wedding. My flight was delayed, and I didn’t arrive until this morning.” He glances at me. “But I’m here now, all moved into one of the nearby cottages, and I’m ready for whatever you need me for.”
“Good.” I nod, motioning for him to follow us inside.
Brutus comes barreling down the stairs the second he sees Eli and tackles him, his paws resting on his chest and his tongue licking his face like a piece of prime rib.
Eli laughs loudly, scratching Brutus’s fur. “I missed you too, you big brute.”
After Eli regains his stance, we all walk into the living room, where I take a seat in a chair, Scarlett takes the one beside mine, and Eli takes a spot on the sofa across from us. Brutus lies on the floor next to Scarlett’s chair, watching her as if ensuring everything is okay before he rests his head on his paws and closes his eyes, drifting to sleep.
I push up my sleeves, stretching my neck. “You know why I asked you here,” I begin, looking directly at Eli. “And I appreciate you making it on such short notice. As you know, the matter of Scarlett’s safety is of great importance to me. And when I am not here, I want to ensure someone is by her side who would do whatever it takes to keep her safe.” I pause, my eyes landing on Scarlett. “There are no rules when it comes to my wife’s safety.”
Scarlett swallows, looking at me in, I hope, a new light—one where she finally sees what it means to have me as her husband.
Her protector.
Eli nods, sitting forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “Understood. Where she goes, I go.”
There’s an uneasy disposition passing over Scarlett. Her hands fidget on her lap as her knee bounces rapidly.
“And how do you feel about this?” I ask her.
Her eyes meet mine, her teeth biting down on her bottom lip. A nervous habit she’s had even when we were kids.
“Fine,” she responds in a soft, flat voice.
“Scarlett,” I press.
Pink covers her cheeks. Pushing her hair behind her ear, she glances between me and Eli. “I’m okay with this. I prefer it to being alone with someone I don’t know.” She looks directly at Eli. “I… I don’t mean to sound ungrateful that you’re here. For me. Because that’s not the case, and I’m so happy to see a familiar face.” She shows a tiny smile, slipping her hands under her thighs. “I just… I just have a hard time being around men right now because I never…I never…saw his…”
Her eyes pinch shut, her breaths coming out rapidly. She’s going there. The dark place in her mind. The place that’s filled with horrific memories that haunt her. The place where she feels broken.
Swiftly, I kneel before her, taking her hands in mine. “Hey.” My thumbs rub across her skin. “You’re safe, Scarlett. You’re here with me.” I bring her hands to my lips, pressing a kiss to each one without a second thought. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
She opens her eyes, swallowing down all emotions. Tears spill down her cheeks, but she quickly throws on that fake smile everyone has come to know so well.
“I’m sorry…I don’t know what that was about.”
I rub her hands between my own. “It’s okay.”
“I think I’m just going to sit outside for a minute and get some fresh air.”
“Of course.” I help her out of her seat and watch as she walks out to the deck, making herself comfortable on the bed swing, curling her legs beneath her and crossing her arms over her chest as she stares across the lake.
“It’s bad, isn’t it?” Eli asks.
I turn, plopping back down on my chair. “Yeah. Really fucking bad.” Pinching the bridge of my nose, I say, “If she has a panic attack when I’m not here, you need to call and tell me. I don’t care if I’m in fucking Siberia in the middle of the biggest deal of our lives; you need to call me and let me know so I can come home to her. I need to be here for her.”
“I will.”
“And she’s scared of the dark. So, always ensure lights are on before entering any rooms.”
“Of course.” Eli looks outside, overseeing her, observing how she curls into herself, trying to hide from the world. “Did he…” He hesitates before asking, “Did he break her?”
I shake my head. “No, he didn’t. But she thinks he did.”
“Why didn’t you call me sooner?” Eli’s eyes land on me.
“Because I know you would have jumped on a plane the second I called you. And after everything you went through last year, I just wanted to give you time. I held off calling you for as long as possible until I knew I had no other option. But we need you.” I nudge my head toward the window. “She needs you.”
He rests his forearms against his knees as he stares at the floor. “I appreciate that, I do. But that woman”—his eyes turn to Scarlett—“was always a sister to me. And what I witnessed just now was a shell of who she once was. That was a goddamn ghost sitting in that chair beside you, scared of her own shadow.” He shakes his head in apparent frustration. “We need to find who did this to her.” His eyes meet mine, the promise of death flashing across them.
“We will.” I sit up, watching Scarlett stand and walk over to the balcony, gazing across the water, her long blonde hair dancing over her shoulders as the wind pushes it back. “Because it kills me every second knowing he’s out there when he tried to break her.” My knuckles grasp the arms of my chair. “After we find him, I need to be the one who breaks him—body and soul. I want to watch the life dissipate from his eyes. I want him to feel pain like no other man has ever felt before.”
Eli rolls his neck. “You going to let me have a turn at him, too?”
“What kind of a friend would I be if I didn’t?”
The corners of his lips lift but then immediately fall. “What’s the game plan?”
I pull the slim hard drive out of my pocket—the one containing every piece of information we’ve obtained so far, any clue, any whisper of who may have done this or even just been connected to this person.
“And all this time, I just thought you were happy to see me,” Eli jokes.
“Funny.” Handing it to him, I say, “Months ago, on what I thought was just a normal day, I received an anonymous text that said, ‘Now she’s mine — Le Diable,’ along with a picture of Scarlett unconscious and tied up in the trunk of a car.” I shake my head, trying everything not to remember that day. The fury swept through me as I destroyed my office, each of my brothers demanding me to calm down.
As if that would solve anything.
“The devil?” Eli asks, brows drawn together.
I nod. Le Diable . The motherfucker gave himself his own stupid nickname.
“Could he be French?”
“Possibly, or just someone fucking with us, knowing we all speak French and Italian fluently.” I shrug. “Whoever it is, they knew.”
“Knew what?”
I glance toward Scarlett. “They knew how important she is to me and wanted to throw it in my face that they had her.”
“Could it be someone from inside?”
I shake my head. “We all thought the same thing, but Alex and his team ran intensive background checks on everyone in the estate when she first went missing, and he found nothing out of the ordinary.” I tap my fingers against the arm of the chair. “One of my men, Asher, who had been keeping an eye on Scarlett over the years—”
“Come again?”
I wave my hand dismissively. Unbeknown to Scarlett, did I have guards that kept an eye on her over the years? Yes. And I won’t apologize for it when she has always been my top priority. “The point is, as soon as I received the photo of Scarlett, I tried to get in touch with Asher, but my calls kept going straight to voicemail. So my brothers and I took our plane to Chicago straight to her apartment, finding it empty. We then rushed to her father’s house, but by the time we made it there, there was nothing left of it. Asher was being checked over by paramedics on sight after being found unconscious on the side of the road. He told us that he had been tailing Scarlett, keeping a five-minute distance between them so as not to be noticed, and as he pulled down the road toward Scarlett’s father’s house, he saw flames engulfing it. When he stepped out of his car, he saw Scarlett’s car and rushed over to it, but as he approached, he was struck from behind and knocked out cold.” I twist the wedding band on my finger, looking down at my hand. “Scarlett’s father’s remains were hardly recognizable. If it weren’t for the gold ring on his finger with his family crest, we wouldn’t have been able to properly identify him without tests.” I rub my temple.
“And Asher doesn’t recall anything else? He didn’t see a hint or trace of anyone? There were no cameras?”
“The only thing he remembers is hearing a high-pitched laugh as he was losing consciousness. One he said he would never forget. And the feed to the cameras was disconnected the day before, hinting that this was a well-thought-out execution and not just some random target.” I sit back, crossing my ankle over my knee. “Alex tried to encrypt the message sent to my phone. To find anything. But all he uncovered was that it was a burner phone purchased from a run-down drugstore in the city with no surveillance.”
Eli rubs his chin, deep in thought. “And you’re not having any problems with Igor Vasiliev? Or his sons?”
Igor Vasiliev . He thought he was fucking Russian royalty living in his high golden tower in Chicago, constantly trying to interfere with my family’s businesses.
On paper, we are among the world’s most sought-after real estate moguls. Our diverse investments include hotels, nightclubs, restaurants, and commercial properties. But what really grows the family’s profits comes from the less scrupulous deals—the ones pertaining to our hidden casinos and discreet weapon shipments between our overseas partners.
But Igor couldn’t touch a hair of our net worth and overall power. It’s what he strives for but can never achieve, only infuriating him even more.
He’s nothing but a pain in the ass if you ask me.
“Nothing out of the ordinary,” I answer. “As far as I’m aware, Igor’s sons cut ties with him years ago when they moved back to Russia, wanting nothing to do with him or his business antics. And the only thing Igor would have gained from kidnapping Scarlett was creating an enemy out of the Alarie family. And that includes our extended families in Italy and France. It wouldn’t make sense for him to do that. We would destroy him from the inside out.”
“Agreed. But it doesn’t hurt to look into him.” He gives a half shrug as I see his mind working out all the puzzle pieces I’m presenting him with. “How long was she taken for?”
I gaze up at the ceiling, grinding my back molars. “Six weeks.”
Eli wipes a hand down his face, looking at Scarlett and seeing her in a new light. “Jesus Christ.”
“I know.” I rub my temple. “We searched night and day. Fucking everywhere. I was never going to give up on finding her. But then…” I meet Eli’s stare. “Six weeks after she had been taken, we got a stroke of luck. You see, Alex had been working tirelessly in the dark web, scouring any bit of information he could get his hands on, including any trace of the name Le Diable. And then it finally happened. One of Le Diable’s lackeys sent a text out to someone simply saying, “Le Diable is gone for the weekend. I’m on duty. Meet here, and I’ll…” I close my eyes and rush out the last part. “Let you see a glimpse of her.” I roll my neck, tension building in my shoulders. “The idiot used Le Diable’s name, which sent an alert to Alex, who could then trace the exact location. We were there in a matter of hours, and when we made it there, to the warehouse, well…”
“You found her,” Eli replies.
“Yeah. And it was the worst fucking thing I’ve ever seen in my life.” I stare ahead, lost in my mind. “The place was under watch by at least twenty men. We killed all but three that we took back with us to get anything out of them, but they wouldn’t speak. The four of us scoured the property, and just as I reached a rusted iron door leading to the basement, I heard the tiniest whimper, causing me to barrel down those stairs.” I undo the top two buttons of my shirt, feeling a tightness in my chest. “She was there. Practically lifeless. Nearly naked. Chained to the floor like a goddamn animal.”
“Fuck.”
I look outside, catching a glimpse of Scarlett. “If we had been there any later, she wouldn’t have made it.”
I’ve known this since the moment I saw her motionless form.
If we had waited one more minute before we left…
If I hadn’t sped to the hospital like a madman…
If the motherfucker didn’t send the text when he did…
She wouldn’t be here today.
And a world without my firefly feels too dark, even for me.
“I take it from her admission earlier that she never saw his face?” Eli asks, puzzled. “But how?”
“When she was ready to talk, she told my mother and her therapist everything. The former relayed the information to me. Apparently, this man, like the fucking psychopath that he is, kept her chained in the basement, never letting her see the light of day. Always keeping her in the dark. And when there were moments that she could see him, as the light cast down on his face when he first walked down the steps, she said he wore some kind of devil’s mask that completely covered his face, except for his bright green eyes. Besides that, she never saw any hint of who he might be. And he never talked. But she can remember his laugh.” I let out a breath. “Her therapist told me that her nightmares have only been getting worse, and in them, she hears his laugh and sees his eyes.”
“His laugh?” Eli questions.
“She told her therapist that occasionally, he would laugh uncontrollably like a deranged clown. It’s as if he got some sick, twisted pleasure from tormenting her.” My fingers press into the arms of the chair, the leather stretching, ready to split.
“Just like the guy Asher heard.”
“Exactly.”
“Mental illness, perhaps?”
“Highly likely.” I pet the top of Brutus’s head, trying to calm myself for what I’m about to say. But nothing in the world could calm me in this moment. Well, maybe just the beautiful blonde outside, soaking up that sunlight. I clear my throat. “He kept her down there for weeks. Feeding her scraps. Giving her one glass of water a day. Ra—” My throat dries up, and I fucking lose it as I abruptly stand, striding toward the kitchen island. I grip the edge of the marble counter, my knuckles aching.
A firm grasp on my shoulder stops me from spiraling.
“I know, Leo,” Eli says softly. “I know.”
“We have to find him,” I breathe harshly. My whole body is coiled tightly in tension. “We have a team together, including each of my brothers, searching for him every second of the day, but every time we think we’re that much closer to finding him, we come up with dead ends. It’s been like this for months. It’s like after we found her, he just fucking disappeared. Poof. Gone.” I rub the back of my neck, my muscles feeling too tight. “Vin’s hopeful that our marriage will entice him into leaving the shadows. That he’ll eventually slip up and reveal himself. But I don’t know… I don’t know what to fucking do anymore. And it’s killing me that every day he lives, I’m failing her!” I shake my head. “He tried to break her. He tried to break my fucking firefly!” I roar, my fists shaking as I slam them on the countertop.
Eli pulls over a stool and pushes me down. Then, as if he’s been here his whole life, he reaches for a glass in a nearby cupboard and fills it with water before handing it to me. I gulp down the liquid and focus on the counter.
“You asked me to come here to keep her safe,” Eli affirms. “And that’s exactly what I’ll do.” He sits on the seat beside mine. “But I’m also here to help you find him. And I plan on doing just that. I’m not leaving until the job is finished. You have my word.”
“Thank you, Eli.” I lean back, rubbing my chin.
“You’re my best mate. Have been since the day you knocked out the two front teeth of that kid in primary school who made fun of my accent.”
My lips curve up. “He spoke with a lisp after that day. Such a shame.”
Eli grins, clasping my shoulder. “But you’re also my brother, Leo. Blood or not.” He lets out a deep sigh, tapping the counter with his finger. “We’re going to find him. And he’ll regret ever fucking with the Alarie family, that’s for damn certain.”
I nod in agreement. “Vin has a team of our top men working on this, and I’ve assigned Dolion to his team.”
Eli groans, rolling his eyes. “Dolion? As in the motherfucker we knew as kids?”
I arch a brow. “Yes, that Dolion.”
He shakes his head, pinching the bridge of his nose.
I try to hide the smirk making its way onto my face, but it’s too late. “Does this have anything to do with the fact that as kids, he used to chase you around the property, calling you ‘Fat Eli’?”
“No,” Eli spits out a little too quickly.
“Well, hate to break it to you, but you’re going to need to get along. Especially since you’ll most likely be working together on this.”
“You really couldn’t have picked anyone else?”
I shake my head. “He’s been working with my family for years, showing complete loyalty and bravery when needed. He saved my life that night when the bomb went off in our warehouse, pulling me out of the way before the entire building went down.” I shrug. “Besides, he recently returned after being gone for months, tending to his dying mother in Greece, so cut him some slack.” My lips tilt up. “If you’re worried about the name-calling, I can always take him aside and—”
“Fuck you, Leo.” Eli stands. “Do I need to remind you that if I wasn’t in fucking Iraq, it would have been me going with you that night to the warehouse and saving your life? And not that damn twat!” He smirks, placing his hands on his hips. “What do I have to do? Take a bullet for you to prove my loyalty after all these years?”
“If it pleases you to do so,” I answer, grinning.
We laugh, knowing how absurd this conversation is when we’d both take a bullet for the other. No questions asked.
He points toward the glass wall. “I’m doing this for her. Whatever you need me to do, I’ll do it. Even if it means working with that arsehole.”
My eyes drift to Scarlett, who still appears lost in her own head. “Good.” I nod, crossing my arms over my chest, and tilt my head toward the back of the house. “Let’s go to my office and talk security logistics. I’m not making a single fucking mistake when it comes to my wife’s safety.”