Page 17 of To Curse A Knight

A thick eyebrow rose to taunt me as he leaned back casually into my couch once again, his confession all but forgotten as he openly gawked at me.

“You’re impossible.” I grumbled. Leaving the living room, I grabbed my purse from the kitchen counter. “Don’t mess up my house while I’m gone.”

“I work, too, you know,” he shot back, his warm presence close behind me as he followed me to the front foyer. “I’ll see you tonight, honey.”

The irritating man leaned down and kissed my forehead like we were long-time lovers. Then he tossed me a roguish wink, as if he’d get away with that shit now he’d sobbed on my shoulder.

I elbowed him in the ribs—hard enough to mark him with a tidy little bruise. He grunted and clutched his side, then let out a booming belly laugh that echoed through the metal box, its sound light and infectious. My lips quirked up before I could firmly press them into a neutral frown. Avoiding his gaze, I pressed the elevator button to go our separate ways.

We rode down in silence; him scrolling through his phone while I contemplated the details of his story.

His crusade was surprising, yet useful. The more I considered his connections and the power position I had over him, even without knowing his true agenda for me, I could use him to get Alvarez where I wanted him.

He waved as we got off the elevator and walked out the front glass doors. I waited for Josephine to arrive to take me to theoffice. I stared at his retreating form that grew more confident with each passing step.

Lauchlan may have a heart, but I didn’t have time to see him as anything but a piece on the board. His trauma and vendetta didn’t have to mean anything to me—he could still be a useful pawn. I was going to move him wherever I damn well pleased.

Why did that thought make me feel so shitty?

Jediah Waldorf’s home was a monstrous monument to tiny-dick syndrome. I hated attending the little mixer events he used as bargaining chips to cozy up to people with actual power, and I hated being here today even more.

I sat alone on the antique chaise lounge in one of his many living rooms, the ancient furniture groaning under my considerable bulk. I shifted in irritation at the man ballsy enough to make me wait for him.

The man was all pomp and circumstance, but he was afraid of the Cartel, even if his little digs, singsong voice, and grating laughter masked it. Today, I wanted to make him terrified.

Trish was breathing down my neck—the team hadn’t come up with a solid lead in the past two weeks since I’d been shut down by The Six, and I desperately needed to get the fuck away from Carlisle as soon as possible.

Even though I knew as long as Hillary Lane lived here I’d be inevitably tied to this godforsaken place. Aaron Rodriguez’s life in my hands and the annoying Irish imp getting too close to our secrets meant I’d be here for a lot longer than planned.

Killing Lauchlan still wasn’t off the table, no matter what Hillary wanted. He’d gotten her guard down enough to track her. That didn’t sit well—my gut roiled with sour acid every time I considered if it had been somebody else who’d gotten under her skin.

Lauchlan was manipulative and smarter than he looked, but he wasn’t dangerous; not in the ways I worried about. I was good at reading intent—the body was full of signs if you knew where to look—and nothing about the annoying man’s energy said ‘rapist’ or ‘serial killer.’

Since he’d slipped under Hillary’s radar, though, I needed to up my protective measures.

He was trained to withstand torture. That wasn’t something someone just learned off the street. He was a career criminal of some kind; I just didn’t know what—and I was going to find out.

I shook my head to rid myself of the creeping memories. Memories of ramming my cock into his ass so hard I’d seen stars. The vision of him squirming and so desperate for me—he would have done just about anything for me to fuck him fast and hard.

One word—that was all I got out of him. Impressive and disappointing. I’d need to try again.ThenI could kill him.

In thirty-eight years, no one had been my undoing.No one. Now, I found myself completely beholden to a woman who held my balls and my heart, and a man who I’d just as easilykill as I would fuck, but my curiosity was pushing me to make bad decisions.

Dangerous decisions.

“Kellan, doll! So lovely to see you!”

Jediah graced me with his presence by flouncing down the stairs in a magenta silk robe, open to reveal tiger print satin boxers and nothing else.

Four gold chains of varying lengths hung around his neck; the entire ensemble looked like he was the Cirque du Soleil version of Hugh Hefner.

Standing to greet him, the smaller man attempted to pull me in to kiss my cheeks, but I refused to budge. His smile faltered as he took in my angry stare.

“Come, come, Kellan. You know I’m not an early riser. So sorry to keep you waiting.” He dipped his head in apology and motioned for me to follow him, leading me into a secondary, smaller parlor off the first room. He waved me in and gestured for me to sit in a much larger, more comfortable leather chair.

I said nothing as I held eye contact and slowly lowered, then leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees. Interlacing my fingers, I prominently displayed the tattooed knuckles of ‘hell’ and ‘hope’ in his direction. He visibly gulped, pushing himself into a chair opposite me.

“How can I help you?”

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