The Man Behind the Name Two
1035 Words
Chapter Three
Genevieve
“You know my name.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
He walked toward me.
Slowly.
Not threateningly.
Somehow that made it worse.
“I know many things about you.”
I stared at him.
“That's not reassuring.”
“It wasn't meant to be.”
I almost laughed.
“You asked me to come here.”
“I did.”
“Why?”
He stopped several feet away.
“Because you witnessed something tonight that puts you in danger.”
My heartbeat accelerated.
“You knew.”
“I suspected.”
“About the lighthouse?”
“Yes.”
“Elias?”
His expression changed.
Only slightly.
But I noticed.
“You saw Elias.”
It wasn't a question.
“Yes.”
He looked toward the window.
For the first time, something resembling anger crossed his face.
Then it disappeared.
“Did he see you?”
“I don't think so.”
“Did anyone else?”
“I don't know.”
His eyes returned to mine.
“You took a photograph.”
My stomach dropped.
“How do you know that?”
Silence.
“Damien.”
“Who has the photograph?”
“That's none of your business.”
“It becomes my business if someone uses it to find you.”
“You're avoiding the question.”
“So are you.”
I hated that he was right.
I stepped closer.
“What happened at the lighthouse?”
His expression hardened.
“I can't tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because you don't know who you can trust.”
I laughed bitterly.
“That's funny coming from the man who dragged me into his mansion in the middle of the night.”
“I didn't drag you anywhere.”
“You sent someone.”
“To offer protection.”
“Protection from who?”
His eyes held mine.
“Everyone who wants what you have.”
My stomach tightened.
“What do I have?”
Damien was silent.
Then he said quietly:
“Evidence.”
I remembered the photograph.
I instinctively touched my pocket.
His gaze followed the movement.
“You still have it.”
I didn't answer.
“Good.”
That wasn't the response I expected.
“Good?”
“If you had deleted it, you would have lost your only leverage.”
“Leverage against who?”
“Victor Kane.”
The name meant nothing to me.
“Who is Victor Kane?”
Damien's jaw tightened.
“A man you should never meet.”
I stared at him.
“Then why am I here?”
“Because you already have.”
My blood ran cold.
“What?”
“Not personally.”
He stepped closer.
“You don't know him yet.”
The words settled between us.
I stared at him.
There was something about the way he spoke.
Like he was already several steps ahead of me.
Like this entire night had been moving toward this moment.
“What do you want from me?”
“Nothing.”
I shook my head.
“That's a lie.”
His expression remained calm.
“Then perhaps I should be more specific.”
He walked past me toward the desk.
“You need somewhere safe.”
“I can go home.”
“No.”
“I didn't ask permission.”
“Your house has already been watched.”
My heart stopped.
“How do you know?”
“I have people watching the people watching you.”
I stared at him.
“That makes absolutely no sense.”
“It will.”
He picked up a folder.
Then placed it on the desk.
My name was written across it.
GENEVIEVE MOREAU.
I stared at it.
“You've been investigating me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Damien looked directly at me.
“Because your family is connected to mine.”
The room seemed to grow colder.
“What are you talking about?”
“You'll understand soon.”
“I want to understand now.”
“You're not ready.”
I stepped toward the desk.
“I decide when I'm ready.”
For the first time, something almost like amusement touched his eyes.
“Do you?”
I glared at him.
“I don't need you to control me.”
“I know.”
“Then stop acting like it.”
He studied me for several seconds.
Then he pushed the folder toward me.
“You have two choices.”
I looked down.
“I'm listening.”
“You leave this house tonight and return to your home.”
“And the second?”
“You stay here.”
I looked up.
“In exchange for what?”
“Protection.”
I almost laughed.
“There's always a price.”
“There is.”
“What?”
His eyes held mine.
“You follow my rules.”
I stared at him.
“That sounds less like protection and more like imprisonment.”
“Call it whatever you want.”
He leaned back against the desk.
“But if you leave this estate tonight, you may not survive until morning.”
My smile disappeared.
“You're threatening me.”
“No.”
His voice was quiet.
“I'm warning you.”
Outside, thunder rolled across the ocean.
I looked toward the windows.
Lightning briefly illuminated the cliffs.
For the first time, I wondered whether coming here had been the biggest mistake of my life.
Then my phone vibrated.
I pulled it out.
Another unknown number.
One message.
YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE TO HIM.
My blood turned cold.
I looked at Damien.
He had already seen the message.
His expression changed.
“Give me the phone.”
“No.”
“Genevieve.”
“I said no.”
He stepped closer.
“Listen to me carefully.”
His voice was no longer calm.
“Whoever sent that message knows you're here.”
My heart hammered.
“How?”
Damien looked toward the closed library doors.
Then back at me.
“Because they were expecting you to come.”
Another message appeared.
I looked down.
This time, there were only five words.
THE DEAL HAS ALREADY BEGUN.
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