Five Dates with the Billionaire - Alyssa J. Montgomery Page 0,56
‘and you’re correct. Giovanni’s been looking for Mia for the past ten years.’
‘Stanley!’ Mia protested. ‘Connor can’t be involved.’
‘He’s already involved,’ Stanley insisted.
‘You’re part of a witness protection program,’ Connor guessed and although Mia neither confirmed nor denied his statement, Stanley gave a small nod of his head.
‘You’ve stumbled across the truth,’ Stanley said as Mia bit her lip and maintained her silence. ‘There are very few of us who know her identity and whereabouts. It’s safer for her this way.’
Connor’s heart cramped. Mia was obviously in danger.
Deadly danger.
‘It was wrong of me to become involved with you.’ Every word held a note of anguish and the sheen of moisture he’d noticed in her eyes now turned to tears. ‘For the first time in my life I lived for the moment and snatched happiness. It was only meant to be for four days.’ She shifted restlessly from one foot to the other as she wiped at her tears. ‘The chance of Lou being in Venice let alone running into us at that restaurant—it’s unbelievable.’ She shook her head. ‘If I’d believed it was possible, I’d never have left London. Never have put you in danger.’
He believed her. ‘Am I in danger?’
‘There’s no reason to assume that,’ Stanley said swiftly. ‘At most you might be followed to see if you lead them to Mia; that’s if Correlli works out who she is.’
Connor ran one hand through his hair as he battled his need to hold Mia close. ‘Why are you in a witness protection program?’
‘I think you should tell him, Mia,’ Stanley prompted gently. ‘He knows some of it. He may as well know it all.’
Mia sat and rubbed her hands up and down her arms.
‘Better that you do it before Carlisle arrives,’ Stanley said when Mia remained silent.
‘Who’s Carlisle?’ Connor asked.
‘Mia’s FBI liaison agent.’ Stanley glanced at his watch. ‘Agent Carlisle Roberts is taking the tunnel from London and should be here soon.’ Looking at Mia, he asked, ‘Would you prefer me to stay while you fill Connor in, or shall I go and wait for Carlisle in the lobby bar?’
‘I want to speak to Mia alone,’ Connor said.
Stanley looked to Mia for confirmation. ‘Mia?’
She gave a reluctant nod of assent.
‘Call me when you’re finished explaining things. If Carlisle arrives in the interim, I’ll buy him a drink and bring him up to speed on what you’ve told me.’ Stanley switched his attention to Connor. ‘I presume you’ve hired an investigator to figure out as much as you have?’
‘Tony Jones, my friend from Eton.’
Mia swore.
Stanley’s lips thinned. He raised his index finger and pointed at Connor. ‘Ring Jones right now and tell him to stop his investigation.’ He paused for breath then said sternly, ‘Mia will tell you all there is to know. The last thing she needs is for people to be asking questions about her.’
‘I’ll make the call.’
Damn! Tony had warned him this might be something he shouldn’t be digging into. Connor hoped to hell the investigation he’d ordered hadn’t put Mia in any greater danger.
Chapter Seventeen
The muscles in Mia’s shoulders were like knotted ropes.
Damn Connor!
Damn him for hiring an investigator and damn him for telling her he cared.
Everything was complicated enough and she struggled to stay afloat in the sea of anxiety that kept sucking her under.
As Connor moved to the far side of the room and phoned his friend, Stanley said quietly, ‘All the years I’ve known you, you’ve never shown any interest in a man. You and Connor … I can see he cares about you, Mia, and it’s too late now to close the floodgates on this whole mess. You should be open with him.’
Clearly, Stanley had decided Connor wouldn’t be placed at any risk by knowing.
Part of Mia longed to tell Connor the truth, but she’d guarded her secrets for so long she wasn’t even sure where to begin.
Then, there was the conflicted part of her that resented being pushed into this position and left with no choice but to admit the truth. That part of her still wanted to rant at him.
And finally, to make the whole thing messier, there was the part of her that loved him and wanted to seize the chance to be with him.
‘I’ll be downstairs if you need me.’ Stanley leaned down to give her a quick hug before he left.
Disconnecting the call, Connor thrust the phone back into his pocket and walked back to sit opposite Mia.