Page 70 of Under His Watch

“Who? The fucking bikers?” I mocked as I looked her in the eye.

“Mr. Hines isn’t available, sir. If you would like?—”

I walked past her, heading for the only door she safeguarded.

“Hey! Wait just a moment now. You can’t?—”

I could. And I did. I wrenched the door open and strode in, quick enough to close the wooden panel before she could follow me in.

“Who the fuck—Oh.” Elliot Hines recovered from his shock. The scowl of annoyance fled his face as he smiled. “Constella.” Then he rolled his chair back and tilted his head, indicating for the whore on her knees to scamper off. She wiped her face as she got up. Without sidestepping, I let her pass me on her way out.

Elliot zipped up, looking mighty pleased with himself for buying a blowjob.

“Am I interrupting?” I asked dryly.

“Not with anything I can’t get whenever I want.”

Cocky moron.

“I doubt you care if youareinterrupting, anyway.”

“Correct. I don’t give a fuck about your agenda.”

He smiled. “This is just a pleasant stop by, then?”

“No. I heard that you’ve been wanting to speak with me. I suppose you’re too scared to come out and tell me directly what the fuck you want, but I’ve got a guess.”

“Oh?” He cocked his head to the side, causing his thinning hair to shift over. It wasn’t a combover, but it soon would need to be. “What’s that guess?”

“Tessa West.”

Elliot laughed and rolled his eyes. “I have heard that she was staying with you.”

“Not just staying with me, motherfucker. She’s mine.”Forever.

He waved his hand flippantly. “Okay. I don’t care who that fat ass ends up with.”

Anger coursed through me. I resisted the temptation to pummel my fist into his face for that insult. Tessa wasn’t fat. Not at all. Instead of letting his taunt get to me, which I knew was his intention, to rile me up, I waited for him to continue.

“Her parents always thought that I’d settle for her. That I’d lower my standards to marry her.” He rolled his eyes again, lookinglike a pimpled, lanky, balding nerd.His standards?I bet that whore was paid double time to even look at his nasty, tiny dick.

“It would be an act of charity to even give her my attention for more than a quick fuck.”

I smiled, slowly and sinisterly. Tessa would never let this creep near her. He’d never know the perfection of her body.

“She’s not smart enough for someone of my position.”

I snorted. “Your position.”

He nodded. “My position as mediator for several influential members of society.”

This kept getting better and better. “Let me guess. ‘Influential’ men like Stefan Giovanni and a dumbass named ‘Reaper’?”

He furrowed his brow a bit, not liking how I made fun of his clients, but he caught himself quickly and wore one of those smarmy smiles again.

“That’s why I considered arranging a meeting with you, Mr. Constella. To discuss an agreement with their corporations.”

“Corporations?” I shook my head. “Cut the shit and call them what they are. A biker gang and a has-been Mafia Family.”

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