Chapter 10 #2
“I hate that I couldn’t call it in myself. He was a good man,” she said quietly, a pang twisting in her gut. “It feels weird to say it, but I’m glad I know who killed him. Glad is the wrong word, but…at least I know. I hate that his family might not ever know.”
“Maybe we can nudge the lead detective in the right direction,” he murmured.
“Yeah, maybe.” Selfishly, she knew that might expose her though, and she couldn’t risk it.
Even if the cops were totally stupid, if they found out who’d killed Greg, anyone on the case would think it looked weird that she’d killed Lebedev the same day that he’d tortured and killed her friend. At the very least they’d want to talk to her about Lebedev.
God, why had Lebedev gone after Greg? He had looked into dirty people in law enforcement, but as far as she knew, he hadn’t been holding anything on the Popov family. To be fair, Lebedev hadn’t indicated that Greg had, he’d just said…
“Lebedev said Greg was asking a lot of questions, sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong,” she blurted.
“Almost verbatim. I was so scared, but before I…pulled the trigger, I remember that’s what he said.
” There was no one in the booth behind them, and a wall filled with various Peruvian scenic images on the other side ensured no one could overhear them, but she still kept her voice pitched low.
“Nothing else?”
“No. Nothing important. We didn’t talk long. And I know he wouldn’t care about Greg looking into my family,” she whispered. “But I don’t know…” She gritted her teeth. “I just don’t know anything.” And it was beyond frustrating.
Cormac started to nod, then stiffened as his gaze traveled past her.
Instinctively she tensed, going into flight mode, but then he relaxed. Or at least he gave the illusion that he was relaxing. But she knew better. She’d once seen him smash his fist into a man’s face with that same relaxed look.
A couple seconds later, she understood his expression.
Logan Brown stood beside their booth, all his rage directed at Cormac. His body practically vibrated with violence as he stared. “What are you two doing?”
“Pretty certain that’s obvious.” Cormac’s tone was dismissive as he picked up his water.
He was making it clear that he didn’t view Logan as a threat.
“And you’re close to making a scene. Something I doubt your boss would be happy about.
You need to leave.” He actually motioned with his hand, like Logan was a pest.
Oh god, he was going to goad Logan into something. Not that it would take much, but she hated the thought of Cormac putting himself in the crosshairs of this monster.
And she had no doubt that was what Logan was at his core.
Every time he looked at her, she had to fight off a shudder.
He might want her, but she wasn’t under the illusion that he liked her or even saw her as a person.
He didn’t even know her. And there was something rotten at his core that she’d sensed from the moment she’d met him.
To him, she would simply be an object to possess.
“You’re needlessly putting her in danger,” Logan snarled.
So her was sitting right there, but apparently Daniela wasn’t worthy of having her name used. Or even a glance. Whatever. She took a sip of the crisp martini, tried to savor it. It was difficult when all her muscles were pulled taut as she waited for Logan to snap.
“Or,” Cormac drawled out, “I’m seeing who, if anyone, followed her here tonight.
” Again with the calm, almost patronizing tone.
“The incident at the diner was out of the ordinary. And from what I’m hearing, not sanctioned by anyone.
So I’m going to find out if there’s still a threat and neutralize it. ”
To her surprise, Logan paused, then looked down at his cell.
That was when she saw his earpiece. Oh, someone was listening in.
Maybe Julian. Hell, probably Julian. Of course her brother would have sent him.
He cleared his throat, then said, “Wrap up dinner and get her home.” Then he was gone, but not before he spared her an angry look.
“He’s a problem,” Cormac murmured once he was gone.
“I know.” She’d known for a while. “He’s angry and dangerous.”
“You think he might be behind yesterday?”
“I…” She blinked. “I don’t know why he would be.”
“Angry men don’t always need a reason for their anger. Or violence.”
“No shit,” she muttered.
Which made him half smile. “If he had anything to do with Lebedev, I’ll take care of him.” Then he paused, his expression almost feral. “For the record, I’ll be taking care of him anyway.”
She wanted to tell him no, not to get tangled up with Logan, but the words caught in her throat. Because Logan scared her on a bone-deep level. She’d had nightmares about him, something that was hard to admit. But she saw the anger, the possessiveness in his eyes when he looked at her.
She’d never had anyone take care of her the way Cormac had, and she couldn’t tell him no. Being seen, being almost treasured… It was a drug she could get addicted to.
In her family, she was tolerated. And according to her father, she was expected to eventually marry and make a good alliance for her brother’s business. Julian hadn’t pushed her on that, thankfully. But she knew the role she played, that she would never be allowed to live her life on her own terms.
Cormac made her want things she’d only ever dreamed about abstractly. Even as she’d been building her case against her family, it hadn’t felt real.
Now, having someone by her side, saying he wanted to help her… It was a heady thing. It gave her hope.
But hope was almost as dangerous as trust. And she’d already learned the hard way when Cormac had broken her heart.