Page 16 of Ruthless Reign

She dropped her gaze to the nick on my neck before returning to my eyes. “Fine. You?”

I shrugged and lied. “Perfect.”

Julia nodded and headed to the carafe of coffee, opening the cabinet above to grab a mug.

“I have to go to work,” I said. “There are three prospects outside to stand guard.”

“Stand guard?” Julia dropped one spoonful of sugar into her cup before pouring the hot beverage and adding a little bit of cream. I took a mental note just in case that information became useful sometime in our eternity together. “Afraid I’ll tear the place apart?”

I smirked. “Do your worst,wife.We both have to live here. It’s in our contract.”

She scowled, and I scooted the plate of tepid food toward her on the counter. “Here’s breakfast.”

She glanced down at it and raised an eyebrow, perhaps assessing whether I’d dosed it with something lethal. Just to be a menace, I picked up a strawberry and stuck it in my mouth. “It’s not poisoned.”

Julia rolled her eyes and took a drink of coffee. “You don’t seem like the type to kill me in secret.”

“Oh?” Since I had a few more minutes before I’d be late, I entertained her. “And how do you think I’d kill you?”

Julia hummed and ran her gaze over the length of me. “You’d stab me in the heart. You’d make sure the last face I ever saw was yours.”

The thought made me laugh, and perhaps once upon a time, I’d almost done that very thing to her dear brother.

I turned toward the door, throwing a quick, “Don’t burn the place down,” over my shoulder before I pulled it closed behind me. Mick, the prospect just outside, looked at me as I exited. “Noone goes in or out without my permission. If she wants to go somewhere, take her, but I need the details.”

“Ten-four, boss,” he said.

I clapped him on the shoulder and headed down to my bike, bringing it to life and taking off toward Rose Garage. It was only eight in the morning, but the humidity was enough to have me sweating by the time I got there, despite only wearing a white T-shirt, my cut, and jeans. I pulled into the parking lot and parked next to Hollywood’s bike, putting out the kick stand before swinging my massive leg over the back and taking off my helmet.

Then I caught sight of a black Crown Vic on the other side of the parking lot and alarm shot down my spine.

What the fuck are the pigs doing here?

I walked inside the office, trying to temper my rage when I found Detective Jordan and her partner, Detective Green, talking to Selene. She stood behind the counter with her hands on the top, chewing a piece of gum. Thor and Hollywood stood behind her, the former with a sledgehammer in his hands, the latter with a huge, charming grin.

“Well, well, well,” I said, tilting my head as I made my way next to my brothers and cousin. “To what do we owe this very great pleasure?” Disdain dripped from my words, and I crossed my arms to show how much I found their presence irritating.

“Roman Montgomery,” Jordan said. “We’ve come to ask about searching the premises.”

I snorted. “And what in God’s good name makes you think we’d agree to that?”

“This land belongs to Aris Washington, correct?”

I raised an eyebrow but didn’t answer.

“They were already snooping when I got here,” Thor said.

Green shot his gaze to the brother in question. “The sign says you open at eight. We were here at eight.”

Thor cleared his throat and shifted his stance.

“Do you have a warrant?” I asked.

“No,” Thor and Selene said at the same time.

“Then, there’s the door.” I pointed to the entry. “Kindly fuck off.”

“Your smart mouth is gonna land you in a cell right next to your daddy, son.” Green smirked.

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