Page 23 of Grimm

“You see him touch her?” William demanded, eyes narrowing. This girl meant something to Daniella. From the pieces she’d told him, Megan was the only genuine family she’d ever had.

“She didn’t want the pills. He didn’t smack her, but he grabbed her face and shoved it in. She didn’t give him any trouble when he let go, but I got the impression he was keeping her doped up for a reason.”

“What’s that?” William asked, but the answer was already brewing in his mind. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe his lifetime of seeing the horrible shit people did to each other had skewed his optics.

“Last night, he brought her up to an apartment around ten. Five other guys went up to the same apartment one at a time and came down one at a time. When those two came out this morning, she looked like hell.”

“Where’s he keeping her?” William tossed the bourbon down his throat, enjoying the nice burn it delivered.

“I have the address. I’ll send it to you.” Tommy snagged his phone back out and tapped on the screen. “There, you should have it in a second.”

“Good. And don’t do anything until I say, understand? I’m seeing Ash and Peter tonight. I’ll talk it over with them before we move. We should probably go to Komisky with this, let him sort out his man, but it could cause a problem between Komisky and Jansen.” Fucking politics. They weren’t just for the government anymore. Even the underworld had to play along.

“I get the feeling Titon’s going to break away from the families. Go his own road.”

“What makes you think that?”

Tommy shrugged. “Just a feeling. Since his old man passed, he’s changing the way he does things over there. I just wouldn’t be surprised if he wanted to get away from all the old men still in charge.”

William paused for a moment, rubbing his chin. “I wouldn’t blame him. Between my father and the others, all the old-school ways—it’s getting dated. But that’s a discussion for another time. Right now, I’m going to go upstairs to my room, get my girl, and get out of here for the night.” He’d work on his project later. Inspiration took him somewhere else now.

“Daniella?” Tommy asked.

William put his empty glass down hard. Even having her name on Tommy’s lips irritated him.

“Yeah. Did I bring another woman into the house while I was sleepwalking or something?” He forced a lightness to his tone. He trusted Tommy, but it didn’t stop William’s hackles from rising at the thought of anyone other than him setting eyes on Daniella.

“She’s not in your room. She’s in Ashley’s old room. I just brought the boxes down before I came to find you.”

William’s back tensed.

“You wanted Ashely’s shit sent out, right?” Tommy clarified, probably because of the tension visible in William’s jaw.

She’d disobeyed him.

Blatantly disobeyed.

“Yeah, that’s fine. I’m gonna change then get out of here. See you tomorrow.” William patted Tommy’s shoulder on his way out of the office.

He took the stairs two at a time. Why would she go against him? Was she trying to get her ass whipped? Maybe she wanted attention.

Ashley had never listened to him. She’d never responded to his authority the way Daniella had. She was too stubborn, too entitled. That was part of the reason he hadn’t been all that upset about seeing her go. She’d never let him lead. She hadn’t been able to see the power she held by submitting. Winning the fight was more important to her.

Daniella didn’t play that way. She was soft and sweet, but when the moment called for it, fierce as hell. When anyone with half her intelligence would’ve been terrified, she’d found the little cracks to hide in.

He flung open the door to his bedroom, giving her the benefit of the doubt that she’d done what he had told her to do. He blew out a breath of frustration at his untouched closet. Not a single pair of panties had been put away in his room. He tore off his jacket, tossed it on his bed, then unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them to his elbow as he marched to the adjoining door.

“William!” She met him at the door when he barged into the room. Her eyes wide with apprehension at seeing his anger. He shut the door and walked forward, making her take several steps backward to avoid being run over.

He pivoted, went to the closet, and ripped the doors open. All of her things hung from the hangers, with five pairs of shoes, ranging from running shoes to a pair of sandals, lined up on one shelf. He tugged open a drawer and found her panties.

“What are your things doing in here? I was clear, wasn’t I, about where I wanted your stuff?” He shoved the drawer closed and turned to her.

She pinched her lip with her fingers and nodded. “Yeah. I mean, yes. But your closet is so full already, and really, wouldn’t it make more sense for me to be in here? That way you could…well, you could have your privacy.”

He stared at her. She’d curled her hair and swept the right side away from her face. A silver clip held it in place, showcasing her small hoop earrings. She wore a black dress, not so different from the one she’d been wearing the first night he’d met her, except it didn’t stop at her knees. This dress reached her ankles, and a long slit went up to her hip on the left side.

She defined sex all wrapped up in the perfect package.

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