Page 86 of Controlled

“Then maybe it’s true what I overheard from the policeman. That he killed himself.”

“Do you believe that?”

“No. Jonas was happy. Granted, his father was only a few degrees up from yours but in a different way. He hated that his son was gay and a ballet dancer. He was insistent Jonas quit and become an attorney but as unhappy as Jonas was about that, he’d never kill himself.”

“Is there anyone who’d be unhappy if they believed the two of you were together?” An attorney. The fucking district attorney.

She laughed, squinting from the sun. “Only Gregor, our main teacher and choreographer. He came onto me more than once. I also couldn’t figure out why he’d selected me for the solo roles since he made certain he thought I was inferior to all the other dancers.”

“Gregor.” I couldn’t remember the asshole, not that I’d cared who was on the payroll of the ballet company.

“Yes, Gregor Santiago. You must have seen him. He’s some hotshot from South America, reported to be connected to a cartel down there. He likes to threaten people. I never liked him.”

Now my hackles were raised more than I’d believed possible. There was no chance in hell that Carlos didn’t know the man or at least had heard if the information she’d learned was true. The man owed me. If he wanted any concessions on his contract or in truth, if the bastard wanted to live, then he would find out everything he could on the man. Why in the fuck would anyone attached to a powerful cartel suddenly switch gears, working in a ballet company?

A bunch of things didn’t add up.

However, scaring her anymore with aspects of the darkest part of my life that now included her wasn’t something I wanted to do. I took a sip of my wine, taking my time to place the glass on the table. When I stood, she scowled at me. “Tell me everything, Bella. Do not leave anything out. I want to know what this Gregor has said to you, what you’ve seen and overheard. Anything that might prove useful.”

“Don’t send someone to kill Gregor, Creed. Other than the weird clandestine meetings he’s had and the threat he issued to our ballet director, I don’t have anything that leads me to believe he hunted down Jonas. Besides, Jonas had a blind date the night he died, some guy who messaged him out of the blue. I don’t know why he chose me for the roles unless he wanted to humiliate me. Although that would have been counterproductive.”

While she was actively trying to put some pieces together herself, another phone call was required.

“Do you remember anything else?”

“No. My life is fairly normal. Jonas’ had been as well. But I do know Marcia was not only angry but terrified of Gregor. Does he have something to do with our attack?”

“That’s what I’m going to find out. How long has Gregor been with the company?”

She scrunched up her face. “Less than a year. Just… Just remember you’re not a bad man.”

Was she trying to convince herself of that? “Don’t worry, perfect dancer. I told you I had business to take care of. This isn’t about ordering a hit on anyone. I’ll be right back. However, do not go anywhere.”

“I’m not planning on it. Maybe I’ll even teach you how to grill something on the barbeque.”

Maybe it was her playful tone or the fact everything about her was as unexpected as it was refreshing, but I stopped short, ripping off my sunglasses to offer a smile. Even that seemed natural around her.

Christ.

I was acting like I was my brother, falling for a girl who should by all rights hate me. Before I had a chance to walk away, she splashed me with water, backing away before I could consider crouching down and returning the favor. I admired her ability to shift from darkness to light in the blink of an eye. She had more resilience than almost anyone I knew.

For one of the first times in as long as I could remember, my heart ached. I’d thought it was dead as my soul. I headed toward the closest set of doors, surprised when Kane wasn’t standing guard. I found him in the communications room I’d set up years before, the location the soul of the security and weapons systems.

I could likely start a war from here, blowing up every other house in the secure and quiet neighborhood.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, seeing the furrowed look on his face.

“Just had a tip that trouble might be headed our way. I’m having the guards check the perimeter and trying making calls to the men in charge of the warehouses.”

“From where and by whom?”

“The where I’m trying to find out. The whom was two of our most trusted informants. However, neither man was certain if it was new blood in town or existing.”

“I supposed it’s possible Frederico didn’t understand my warning was serious.” And that his son had retaliated without thinking his decision through carefully.

“I thought of that but both Frederico and Antonio left town together almost immediately after your meeting with the Don.”

“Interesting.”