Page 44 of Tangled Roses

Arman guides me into his seat and stands with a strong hand on my back. Rubbing it reassuringly so I know he’s got me.

“You owe me the truth.”

My voice doesn’t even sound like mine. It’s cold. Devoid of expression and nothing like I’m feeling inside.

“You weren’t planned.” Marsha doesn’t sugar coat her words and stares at me with an emotionless expression.

“Some may call it a mistake, others a reason.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

I’m so hurt, she may as well have taken a knife and cut me open to bleed out before her. A mistake, well that’s just darned great to hear.

“Your father. He was, um, is, a powerful man and there was no chance he would ever allow you to live if he discovered you existed.”

“He would kill me?” My voice shakes because who the hell is this demon?

“He forced me to have an abortion.”

Marsha shrugs. “I considered it. It would have been easier, but I never went through with it.”

“Gee, thanks.” There is no emotion in her at all and I hate what I’m hearing.

She takes a sip of water and then exhales sharply. “I was young and foolish. I wanted to succeed. To play with the powerful and I thought I could handle it. I did terrible things to earn their trust and paid the price when I was convicted. When I was released, they got back in touch with me and helped me set up Burning Roses. Once again, I was their puppet, and there was no way out of it.”

She stares at Arman with a hard expression. “I had no choice. They would have killed me and so I did everything they wanted me to, but I never told them about Gabrielle.”

“Why not?” Arman says coolly and she shrugs.

“To protect her. To keep her away from them before they used her too.”

“Then how is it we found her so easily?” Arman interrupts.

Marsha stares at him in shock.

“Who told you about her?”

“We have our sources.”

“No. please. Who knows? It’s imperative that you tell me because her life may be in danger.”

“Then it appears we both have secrets the other wants.”

Arman is angry. I detect it in his voice and obviously Marsha does too, because she sighs and slumps in bitter defeat.

“I’m sorry, Arman.”

“What for?”

His voice is cold and I long to comfort him as he has me, but his grip tightens on my shoulder as she whispers, “I don’t know who murdered your father. You have got to believe me, but I can tell you who would want to know Gabrielle’s whereabouts.”

“Who?” His voice is firm, andI detect the urgency behind it and we stare at her with mounting anticipation as she whispers, “Boris Fedorov.”

CHAPTER 26

ARMAN

Ellie is in shock. Marsha has left and, despite interrogation, had nothing else to reveal. She is scared, though. So scared. I know she is hiding it from us and the best idea was to let her go and hope that Luka has his surveillance shit working. We will be listening and have eyes on her and it will be interesting to see what she does next and as soon as she left, Ellie broke down.