Ruthless Prince (Dark Syndicate 1)

“You can’t blame yourself, Emelia. If he was from our world, then he knew the risks. I feel like an asshole for saying that to you, but it’s true, and you can’t blame yourself for something you have no control over.”

“I just feel so awful.” I stare at Candace and decide to ask the question on my mind about Massimo. Maybe I just don’t want to believe he could hurt me so badly. “You don’t think Massimo killed him?”

She shakes her head.

“I don’t. Maybe if this was a few weeks ago, I mean, before he knew you, I wouldn’t question it. It would be my first thought. Something changed him when you came along. Yes, he was hard work, and yes, he’s still a hard man to deal with, but… I don’t think he killed him. It would hurt you too much.”

I shake my head at her. “He doesn’t think of me like that.”

“I can’t speak on that, but I’ve known him long enough to know him as a person. I don’t agree with most things he does, but if there’s one thing you can count on Massimo for, it’s telling the truth. Either he’ll tell you the truth, or he’ll say nothing. It’s his one saving grace. He’s not a liar.”

I press my lips together and gaze out to the sea as the gentle breeze touches my cheeks.

Massimo isn’t a liar…

I can’t think right now to process anything, even if I know she’s right.

In all the time I’ve known Massimo, he’s never lied to me.

Sleep never came last night. I spent the time re-reading Jacob’s messages.

The ones I never answered.

All one hundred of them.

I went to the room and sat by the window, never moving except to go to the toilet and get a drink of water.

Massimo didn’t come back to see me. I don’t even know if he was home or if he left and went back to his club. God… I can’t believe he owns that club.

I push it all out of my mind. Shit like that means nothing given what’s happened to Jacob.

I need to see his family. Even if I have to swim across the sea, I have to see them, see how they are. I can imagine his parents and his brothers being devastated. Everyone loved him.

The door creeks open. I look over to see my dear husband walking in.

So, he is here.

I accepted in my mind that maybe he didn’t kill Jacob, but I’m still mad because this is still his fault. He walks over to me as I look at him. I don’t know what we’ll argue about today. I want details though. I want to know more.

“I came to check on you,” he says.

“Did you just get back from the club? Were you there all night, again?” I ask, unable to hide the fury in my tone.

“No, I didn’t. The other night, I wasn’t with anybody. I went to my office, and that is where I stayed all night. I have footage of me being there, but I’m not going to take it that far. When I tell you something, I expect you to believe me,” he says, cool and even.

I look away from him. He, however, chooses to sit in front of me so I can’t escape his hard blue gaze.

“I didn’t kill him, Emelia,” he says. “I don’t have an alibi in regard to the proposed time of death because I would have been driving, so unless a camera picked me up enroute to the club, I’m a little screwed when it comes to whether you believe me or not, but that’s my word. When I said you weren’t going to see him again, I didn’t mean this. Can I please ask you to think about what I’m saying?” His gaze clings to mine.

I draw in a breath and nod slowly. I’m not ready to be okay with him yet because things are far from okay. They were never okay to begin with.

“What do you need?” he asks.

“I need more information. You said he was somewhere he wasn’t supposed to be and knew things he shouldn’t.”

“Emelia, I wanted to give you some context. But I can’t tell you more than that.”

“Why?”