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“Tell me”

She visibly quaked “I needed his help I was out of money Flat broke before I even opened the market Brizio’s brother double-crossed us We paid for i business, but he never delivered Never even started the business We had to find another source and that cost us everything I had I couldn’t go to my father for the money He’d never lend it to me, since I’d depleted my trust fund”

“Why Ethan?”

She sed hard “I—I don’t know It just happened,” she reiterated, fear tingeing her voice “That night of the Delfino party in Scottsdale After you and Ethan talked to hi up shop in Old Town You and Ari left afterward I had a few drinks with Ethan I explained the situation with Brizio’s brother, and that ere having a cash flow problem He offered me the money, Dane”

I could see lier If that were possible He’d shot Ethan Dead was ht rise up, gun in hand

My insides churned over the reality of the situation and the trau and it fully hit him that he’d killed his best friend and mentor

Mikaela said, “He wanted a few favors in return”

“So you slept with him”

“Yes But that wasn’t all Dane, he wanted e for the Lux I didn’t understand why, but he knew I had one with no restrictions There were only a few you’d issued that granted all access to every inch of the resort Ethan’s badge was only good for getting hi—your office suite, because that was all he’d ever needed Yet I consulted with Chef D’Angelo and the et to thes”

“Oh, God,” I breathed I was about to heave again “She was the one who let Wayne Horton into all those restricted areas after Amano fired him She was the one who provided him access so he could plant the snake and the scorpions … the bomb”

I was certain I’d gone as ghostly as Mikaela

“I didn’t knohat he was up to,” she insisted “I swear it, Dane I didn’t ask; he didn’t tell”

“And that exonerates you?” Dane hissed between clenched teeth

“Dane, please understand, I—”

“Ari was attacked Repeatedly On-site and off Because of the access you gave to Horton Ethan shot her, Mikaela My wife! He kidnapped ainst the trigger of his GLOCK