Page 94 of Deceptive Desires

“How? When?” I stutter through the questions, my heart the fullest it’s ever been.

“Bash found it in a pawn shop. We all went looking. I told you I’d get them back. I’m your hero, remember?” he tells me with a lazy grin and pulls me into him.

I kiss him frantically, needing to convey how important this is to me.

I don’t care if it was Bash that found it. Roman’s the one who sent him looking. Roman, my hero. Forever my hero.

Nothing could make me love this man less.

Chapter 70

Cecilia

I look up at the overcast sky and hope I can make it home before it starts raining. I’m rushing down the sidewalk, keeping my head down when a hand grips my arm and pulls me into an alley.

I look up to see a man cloaked in a black hoodie holding me.

I open my mouth to scream but am cut off.

“Come on, Cecilia. You really don’t recognize your best friend?” the man says, and I realize I know him.

I launch myself into Leo’s arms and give him a tight hug.

“What a way to say hi after all this time! You scared me! But no matter. How have you been? What’ve you been doing? It’s been so long,” I tell him, excited to catch up.

The hoodie is covering his face so he’s almost unrecognizable.

“Come with me. We need to talk, and it’s about to rain,” he says as he leads me further down the alley. We take a turn, and there’s a black car with tinted windows. I get in the passenger side, and he gets in the driver’s side.

“First, turn off your phone, and give it to me,” Leo demands.

I’m shocked by the weird request but do it anyway.

“How have you been? We have so much to catch up on!” I’m excited to tell my friend about my engagement.

“We really do, but we don’t have a lot of time, so you need to listen,” he says, and I start to wonder if this run in wasn’t an accident after all.

“Okay, you’re making me nervous. Is everything okay? Are you in trouble?” I ask warily. “We can help you if you are.”

“I’m fine. You’re the one in trouble.” He glances at my engagement ring, then meets my eyes with a hard glare. “Your fiancé isn’t who he says he is. You’re being tricked, and it’s getting dangerous.”

I lean away from him, taken aback. What does he know about Roman?

“You don’t understand. Roman is the sweetest, kindest man ever. You’re mistaken,” I correct him.

He laughs bitterly.

“You have no idea. This monster you’re with… he’s from hell,” he says it so darkly, I shrink back. “His whole fucking family are monsters. Every one of them.”

“No. You’re wrong.” I shake my head, knowing the Montclairs are the best people I’ve ever met.

“You’re so fucking naïve, Cecilia. What do you know about the Syndicate? Nothing, I bet, or you wouldn’t be with the enforcer,” he seethes.

“The Syndicate? Do you mean Syndicate Enterprise, their security and defense company? I know all about it. They help people,” I explain, needing him to understand he has this all wrong.

“They don’t help anyone. Your precious Montclairs run a criminal organization called The Syndicate. They do so many illegal things. Syndicate Enterprise is just their legal front. The cover to keep up appearances, and Roman Montclair has nothing to do with it.” He pauses and grabs my hands. As much as I want to pull back, I don’t. “He’s the enforcer for the Syndicate. He does the grunt work. The dirty work. He tortures and kills people for a living. And he does it with a smile. Everyone in the underworld knows his name, and we all fear the monster he is.”

“That’s ridiculous. Roman wouldn’t hurt a fly. And the Montclairs are standup citizens. I don’t know why you’re saying this, but you’re mistaken. It must be a different Montclair family,” I say gently, not wanting to call him a liar, but I know his accusations are absurd. “I should get going, Roman’s going to wonder where I am soon.”