Every syllable is a knife plunging into me. My brain accepts what she says as logical and reasonable, given the circumstances. But my heart weeps for her pain and loneliness…and how I wasn’t the man she could turn to for protection.
“Tolyan should’ve run Andy over a few times by now,” I say, equal parts bitter and confused. The Russian doesn’t seem the type to ignore threats or show mercy.
“He offered that as an option, but I didn’t want it. What Andy did deserves punishment, but I can’t be the one to mete it out. That isn’t the kind of world I want.”
“You want the world where bad guys go free?”
“Do you know why I ran the foundation to the best of my ability, giving it one hundred and ten percent every time?”
The answer chokes me, but I manage anyway. “You promised Shirley.”
Liza shakes her head. “I could’ve just done an okay job, and she wouldn’t have said anything. What was most important to her was that one of the women from the family run it, not that it was doing better than other charity organizations.” She takes a breath. “I get to make the world a better place. The family I’m going to have…it’ll live in a world that’s a little bit more abundant, a little more peaceful and caring, where people don’t get brutalized. Where they don’t go hungry or uneducated and get left to live like animals. I want a world where everyone’s dignity and humanity are respected regardless of how much money and influence they have.”
Jesus. If I didn’t already love her, this would made me fall for her so hard. “I can’t let Andy run around free. He isn’t just your problem, Liza. He’s mine too.”
There’s no way I’m letting him hurt Liza ever again. I start to call Antoine, then pause.
The man who dragged Liza off the resort beach. He seemed somehow familiar, although I wasn’t able to place him. Now that we aren’t pretending anymore, she can tell me and confirm my earlier suspicion.
“Who attacked you on St. Cecilia?” I ask, my thumb hovering over the green button…even though I already know the answer.
“Andy.”
Hot rage floods my body. The veins in my temple and forehead start to throb, and I feel like my scalp is tightening, pressing around my skull like a vise.
“He slipped away from the men Tolyan hired to watch him,” she explains. “Tolyan was furious and apologetic when he came to see me at the hospital, and promised to take care of Andy.”
“Except he won’t be able to do anything satisfying because you don’t want Andy ripped to pieces.” I’ll do so much more than that the next time I see the bastard. Why isn’t Tolyan taking the matter into his own hands rather than letting Liza decide?
“I don’t just want Andy punished. I told you I wanted them all punished—him and his parents. I asked Tolyan to gather evidence of their wrongdoings and witnesses. We only need a couple to convince other women to come forward.”
“Do you think that’s going to be enough to put them all in jail?”
“Andy will definitely go, and public outcry will ensure that even if Dorothy and Chuck stay out of jail, they’ll lose all their influence, which is going to be worse than death for them.”
Liza has a point. Dorothy would rather die than be a nobody.
“I was wrong to let it go the first time or let them live like royalty all this time. So I’m going to fix that.”
“Then let me help,” I say, calling Antoine.
My feelings about the Russian are secondary. I’m throwing in whatever I can to bring Andy, Dorothy and Chuck down for what they’ve done.
Chapter Thirty
Elizabeth
Dinner is awkward. Not because the food is bad; the steak’s cooked to perfection—tender, flavorful and juicy. But Dominic looks at me with worry every time I pick up my knife to slice into the meat.
“I’m okay,” I tell him again. “Really.”
His gaze falls to the streak of reddish juice from the beef, and I suddenly realize what the problem is. “Don’t worry. Using a steak knife won’t trigger me.”
He looks away, then after a deep inhale, swings his eyes back to mine. “You used one to fight Andy off.”
“Yes, but he didn’t damage me to the point I can’t enjoy a nice steak, Dominic. I would never concede that much control to him.”
The skin around his eyes tightens. “Your reaction in Hawaii—”