A Waltz With Wolves (Book II in The Harrison Inc. Series) | ✓

Chapter Forty-Eight: Roadblock

**

I let the water from my shower run over my body hot, rinsing tonight away. But as badly as I want tonight to wash down the drain, all I see pink from the blood on my hands.

The truth left Isaac's mouth, and the first thing I did was excuse myself for a shower. Of course, Isaac didn't oppose. He sat there as I slowly got up, went to the bathroom, turned on the faucet and stepped into the hot water. And now, I just stand in it. I stand in it, letting the memories connect with the truth I've been given.

Luís Mateo Velasquez. Assassin. Drug Cartel. It doesn't seem real. That, or I'm ashamed, shocked, afraid that I slept with a man like Alejandro—Luís. Not only did I sleep with him, but I dated him. Thought I might have loved him. He lied to me twice. No telling how many times he's lied to me in the past.

Suddenly it becomes harder to breathe. I turn off the water, my skin still stinging from the heat. I step out, dry off, and get changed in my room in jeans and a sweater. I walk out into the living room and sit down. Isaac looks at me gravely, as if there's more bad news I could possibly bear.

"Ms. King?" Isaac says. I look at him, focusing on his graying beard; again, I focus on menial thing when I'm overwhelmed and anxious.

"Are you at liberty to give me an honest answer if I ask you a question," I ask him, "since I'm...'aware' of...what's been hidden from me?"

Isaac sighs. Before he answers, I offer to make him coffee. He asks for it just the way I like it—black with two sugars. I brew it in the kitchen, thinking hard. I try to connect everything together the best I can as the dark liquid enters the glass cup:

Sebastian definitely knew about Alejandro's criminal involvement (I can't push myself to call him by his real name). The Quintanillas and Harrison Inc. have worked together for years. This is most likely how Garrett was able to employ Alejandro so easily, because the connection was already there.

Coffee is done, meaning I need to stop putting the pieces together myself for now.

Slowly, I carry the cups to the living room and hand Isaac his. He thanks me, but doesn't drink from it yet. Neither do I. I look at him again, though. I stare at him, knowing now that this man is not only a trusted guard for my biological mother, but has been watching both Harrison Inc. and the Quintanillas long enough to know more information. The fear lies in if I'm strong enough to hear more.

"Am I in danger?" Is the first question that comes out of my mouth.

"Your relationship with Alejandro was very long and personal," Isaac begins. "So, it's no surprise that he has a strong connection to you even though he was contracted to associate with you. Given the situation that happened tonight and Alejandro's profession, there is a possibility that you could be seen as a liability. A bargaining chip, even. Especially since your relationship with Sebastian Harrison, whom happens to be the CEO of the company in partnership with the family, is a strong one as well. And given that the Venetian royal family has had a history with the cartel as well..."

In other words, the answer is yes—I am in danger. I'm in the center of this mess, actually: I have or had important ties with Alejandro, Harrison Incorporated and the Venetian royal family, with Garrett having had a target on my head since I became a threat to him. It's all connected; I am in danger. I understand now one of the reasons Sebastian kept this a secret from me; the cameras in my office were for more than just watching out for the man who seduced me for a contract.

He was watching an assassin whom I let in my fucking office, day in and day out.

I swallow hard before asking my second question. "Sebastian knew of all of this?"