“Your opinion of him means nothing to me.”
She flinched. “Why?”
“You’re—” She had the distinct impression that he was choosing his words carefully, which was a surprise in itself. Because usually he didn’t mince his words, cutting through her with his sharply acerbic opinions. “Blind when it comes to him.”
Confusion spiraled through her, coated with a sharp fear. What had she signed up for? “Then why let her see him? Why pretend as though you support them?”
“Venetia, for all her outward drama, is very vulnerable and volatile. She never recovered from our parents’ death. I’m the only one in the world who hasn’t hurt her until now. I will not change that.”
“So you’re having me do the dirty work for you? And what do you think is going to happen to your precious sister if, heaven forbid, everything goes according to your plan?”
Distinct unease settled over his features. Granite would have more give than his jaw. “She will cry over him. I will explain it to her that you and he—” utter distaste coated his words now “—you always go back to each other, whatever transpires in between. Not unbelievable with your long history.” He rubbed his jaw with his palm, his movements shaky. “I hate that I can’t prevent this. But I will accept a few of her tears now than something more dangerous that she could do later when she realizes that Tyler never really loved her.”
The emotion in his tone was unmistakable. His every word, his manipulations—everything had been to this end. And Lexi understood it, could almost admire him for it if it wasn’t also highly misguided. “You can’t protect her from everything in the world, Nikos.”
“She saw my father shoot himself in the head. I failed long ago to protect her.”
Lexi froze, her thoughts jumbling on top of each other. And she had thought she had been unfortunate. “Your father killed himself?”
“Because he couldn’t bear to live without my mother.” Ice coated his words. “Venetia was ten. She didn’t even understand our mother’s death. The worst part is she’s exactly like him—emotional, volatile and prone to mood swings. With everything I know about your friend, I know he will walk out on my sister one day. I’m just expediting it so that the damage to her is limited.”
His heart might be in the right place, but it was so twisted. Lexi walked back and forth, the gleaming marble floor dizzying her, her stomach churning with a viciousness she couldn’t curb. “You can’t just arrange her life to be without sorrow. It doesn’t work that way. I won’t do this.”
“You will get your precious Tyler back. Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about that.”
“Yes. That thought crossed my mind, but not like this.” Disbelief rang in his eyes. “I don’t care what it might mean for me. I’m out.”
She turned around to do just that, but suddenly there he was, a terrifying prospect she couldn’t escape. The tension in him was palpable, the rigid set of his mouth an unmistakable warning. “If something happens to my sister because of Tyler, I will hold you personally responsible. Knowing that you could have prevented it, can you handle that guilt, Lexi?”
She stilled as she saw that same guilt cast a dark shadow on his face.
There was nothing cold about Nikos. He was just incredibly good at pushing it all away, and tailoring his life to follow the same strategy. He’d put himself behind an invisible wall of will where nothing could touch him. And he wanted his sister next to him.