Page 88 of Break Me

CHAPTER 20

Alexsey

Fucking reporters.

They’d driven me crazy over the last two days hounding me for an interview. Even though I’d made a formal statement to the police, I’d had two additional calls regarding the ongoing investigation. And as expected, the two men who’d died at the scene had no criminal affiliation to the Papadakis family, although both had criminal records a mile long including assault with firearms and attempted murder.

They’d simply been recruited to carry out a single mission.

Assassination.

As far as the two who’d gotten away, they were in the wind. Also as expected while being annoying as fuck. I hadn’t gotten a good look at them and the chatter on the streets had yet to provide any concrete information.

While the warehouse fire had gotten some attention, it would seem the discovery of millions of dollars’ worth of illegal drugs took a back seat to someone of my notoriety almost being killed.

Fucking reporters.

What else had I been doing for two days? Worrying about Halle and Emily. It was nuts that I couldn’t get that woman off my mind. She’d been so distraught. So closed off. Could I blame her after knowing what I did about Liam? Fuck, no.

I buttoned my jacket and headed for the entrance to the resort, cursing under my breath. If I had to be truthful with myself, I’d say the real reason I’d been in a shitty mood for a couple of days had everything to do with Halle.

Women.

I obviously sucked at trying to figure out how to handle them with any finesse. I threw open the front doors of Dreamscape with so much ferocity I was surprised they didn’t shatter. The last two days had been a pain in my ass.

Between being forced to find a new food distributor to make up for the forty percent of what Performance Foods had serviced, reporters hounding my ass, the insurance company trying and failing to give me the runaround, and being followed around by two lapdogs, I was in a nasty mood.

At least Emily had been released from the hospital. The doctor I’d insisted handle her case had told me just enough not to break his oath to make me feel comfortable. I’d paid the bill, which I knew I’d hear about again, and authorized as many new specialty inhalers as the little girl needed.

I’d hear about that too. I could just see Halle’s face, eyes filled with venom. I’d half expected her to storm into my office at some point or even track me down on the street.

Maybe that’s what I’d wanted to happen because I missed her. Yes, I did.

Way too much.

I stormed right by my cousin, catching sight of Sasha lifting his eyebrows as I passed. As expected, he trailed behind me into the elevator. I had the new distribution contract with me for his records and I had a feeling he wouldn’t be too happy with the extra costs.

Neither was I. In fact, I was furious.

Even with the fuckup in business operations, what continued to drive me to the point of madness was remembering not only Halle’s words, but the way she’d looked at me as if I was out of my mind for trying to help her daughter.

Why bother?

“You’re in a particularly shitty mood,” Sasha said as he joined me in the elevator.

“I have my reasons.”

“Let me guess. It wouldn’t happen to be about a feisty brunette you’ve been seeing. Would it?”

I slammed my hand on the button to the top floor where the executive offices were located. “Not in the least.”

“Uh-huh. Now I know you have damn good reason to be pissed off at the world, but I’ve never seen you this way. Not over asingle incident with business partners, clients, or anyone else. Except a woman. What happened?”

I leaned against the elevator wall, folding my arms. My sister would chide me, saying I was attempting to close myself off from the world. Maybe she was right.

For whatever reason, I banged my head against the cold steel. Somehow, I knew nothing was going to make me feel any better. Why? Because I felt totally inadequate around her. As if I had my hands tied behind my back, a rag stuffed in my mouth.

She made me feel alive yet totally befuddled.