Page 74 of Born Evil
“No.” I lean back and fix him with a blank expression.
“I’ve learned a valuable lesson in all of this, which is that nothing else matters when your heart is involved. I no longer want world domination.”
He raises his eyes and I grin.
“I was a fool ever believing I had that right. It’s surprising how my priorities quickly changed. Now I want to devote my life to one woman, and I never thought I’d be saying that. I want to start a family, to provide a good life for them and stay out of things that don’t concern me.”
Adonis laughs out loud. “Why does that sound boring to me?”
I regard him with interest because, for a frightening man, he has something about him that’s likeable. I’m under no illusion he would kill me in cold blood and yet he has a concern for Laura I admire.
I say carefully, “What about you? What do you want out of life?”
He leans back and grins. “More of the same.”
“Which is?”
“Freedom.”
He waves his hand around him and shrugs. “This life is addictive, Mr. Remington. I’ve never known anything else. I travel the world, meet many people, and enjoy a freedom not many get to experience. It has its bad points but then everyone experiences them. However, the good outweighs the bad and I get to work with my family.”
“Your brother.” I bring the conversation back to more personal matters and his eyes flash. “Apollo.”
“He used my sister.” I say simply, my eyes narrowing as I make him aware I’m not happy about that.
“Did he?” He stares at me with a gleam of mischief in his eyes.
“Forgive me, Mr. Remington, but we don’t know that.”
“He brought her here.”
“Because it was his job.” Adonis shrugs. “We judge without knowing all the facts. I expected better of you.”
I surprise myself by laughing out loud. “I can’t argue with that.”
I note two figures walking toward us and my heart quickens.
I jump up and head to the front of the boat and see Melissa walking beside one of the guards and my heart drops. This doesn’t look good.
Adonis joins me and says with a sigh. “It appears they made their decision. It doesn’t surprise me. Family belongs with family.”
“I’m not leaving her.” I growl and Adonis whispers gruffly, “You speak as if you have a choice.”
I’m angry but relieved at the same time. Melissa is free. It’s what I came here for, and I should be celebrating.
But I can’t leave Laura. I promised and the thought of sailing off and heading home without her is like a burning hot poker pressed directly into my heart.
Melissa heads onto the boat and falls into my arms and whispers, “I’m so sorry, Troy.”
“Why?” My heart is racing as she whispers, for my ears only, “They are letting me go in exchange for you.”
“Me?” I’m shocked at that because Don Vieri made it perfectly clear I was leaving today and she whispers, “You have one week to convince them you deserve Laura.”
“What about you?”
I pull back and stare into her eyes with concern, and she glances past me and nods toward Adonis.
“I’m to leave with him.”