“A crime boss?”“Yes,” Carey said, the word catching in her throat.“You were involved with a criminal?”“Yes.” Once the words started, she couldn’t stop them, desperation fueling the need to explain herself. “Mark Sheffield was my fiancé. He used me to get close to my father. My father owned a few restaurants on the east coast and a winery on the west coast. I can’t list all the things my father did or all the people he knew. He was a powerful man.”Reilly glanced over at her, questions in his eyes. “A powerful man?”The question spoke volumes. A powerful man in the crime world, using his legitimate businesses to launder money for wealthy friends. “Yes.”“Keep talking.”His voice didn’t give away anything about what he was thinking. She imagined disgust for her growing in his gut and it made her more panicked to keep him close, to hear some words of reassurance that he’d stay.“My father passed away. Heart trouble. And then Mark took over his businesses.”
