I hadn’t expected to see the same in his eyes.
Unable to hold his gaze, I spun on my heels, and, this time, with Joe in tow, it was Reeve I left in the hallway, alone.
CHAPTER 4
Lunch with Joe was uneventful. After I’d responded to most of his attempts at conversation with nothing more than one or two syllables he’d gotten the hint and let me eat in silence.
On the drive back, with the possible repercussions of how I’d left things hanging over my head, I remembered something Joe had said earlier. “Reeve actually invited you to stay at the house?” It wasn’t like him to trust so easily. Especially another man.
“Eh, he was sketchy at first. When you went upstairs with Amber, he had his men thoroughly pat me down. There may have been a few hostile threats thrown in as well.”
“That sounds about right.” I didn’t add that Reeve probably also ordered a background check and that I was pretty sure we’d been followed into town by Tabor, the man Reeve had hired to watch me. “And that was all?”
Joe pursed his lips, and I could tell he was keeping something from me. “What else did he say, Joe?” My mind whirred through the possibilities, with the deals he might have had to make in order to win Reeve’s trust.
“I’ll tell you, but I don’t want you to overreact.”
My scowl told him I wasn’t promising anything.
“He said I could stay as long as I agreed that I was there to protect you.”
A host of reactions flew through my brain, a few of them in such opposition that I didn’t know how to choose one to express. It irritated me that he’d think he should make those kinds of arrangements without my permission or knowledge, but I was also thrilled that he cared.
Or maybe that was wishful thinking, and he just wanted to be in control.
I leaned my head against the glass window and nibbled on my knuckle. “I don’t know what that means,” I said finally.
Joe threw a glance toward me then returned his focus to the road. “I don’t either. I don’t know why he thinks you might be in danger. Whether he thinks Vilanakis might come around or if he’s worried that you’ll do something stupid again.”
“Or maybe he’s passing me to you so he won’t feel guilty when he takes Amber back into his arms.” Immediately, I felt stupid for admitting that to Joe. “Anyway. It’s fine. As long as he’s letting you stay.”
“It’s an informal agreement, Em. He’s not paying me. I can leave when I want. Likely it means nothing and is just a way to show me he’s in charge. Ignore it.”
Possible. But I wouldn’t bet on it.
“How long are you planning on sticking around, then? If you can leave when you want, I mean.” In other words, how long would I be allowed to stick around?
“Depends,” he said, turning down the long road to the ranch main gates. “I’d like to pursue Vilanakis, but only if you’re okay with that.”
“Of course.” Why he thought he needed my permission was beyond me. Unless he wanted me to ask him to stay, which I wouldn’t. “You can go wherever you need to go for that. I’ll be fine.” I was actually being truthful with Joe for once. It felt more liberating than I’d imagined.
Joe surprised me with his next words. “Where I need to go for that is nowhere.” He paused at the gate, not saying anything while the guard was at the window clearing us for entrance.
When we were in, I turned to him. “You don’t think Reeve is still connected to that slave ring, do you?”
“I don’t have a strong reason to believe he is, no. Especially not if that’s why he thinks you need protection. But he and Amber know more about Vilanakis than anyone else I’ve come in contact with. I don’t think I can get a better lead than through them.”
I chewed another finger as he parked the car, trying to decide if I wanted to share what I knew with Joe, and if so, how much. I didn’t want to betray Reeve but Joe had rescued Amber. I owed him, didn’t I?
Grabbing his arm, I stopped him before he got out of the car. “I’ll tell you this, Joe – there are cameras in every room of that ranch. So be careful what you say or do.”
“I’ve seen them. But thanks for the heads-up.”
“Also” – I took a deep breath, already having decided to spill the secret – “Reeve’s mother, Elena Kaya? Her real name is Elena Vilanakis.”
Joe’s expression lifted with the information. “Reeve’s related to Michelis?”
“Michelis is his uncle. But Elena wanted to leave the mob life. Reeve’s father took her away from all of it. Changed her name. Hid her away.”
“It explains the bad blood between Michelis and Sallis.”
“It does.” There. I wasn’t throwing Reeve under the bus at all. I was actually reinforcing my opinion that Michelis was the enemy instead. “They aren’t tied anymore. Blood or no blood.”
“Possibly.” Joe tilted his head. “Or they’re extremely good at their cover.”
Well, there was that. I believed Reeve probably skirted the line when it came to legal business practices, but did I truly think he could cross it?
I still didn’t know him well enough to have the answer.
I didn’t go up to Amber’s room when we got back. Reeve would be there, and I wasn’t eager to see him. I also didn’t make it too hard for him to find me, settling down in the den with the remote in hand, not actually planning to watch anything at all.