Page 25 of Dark Wolf Soul
“What change?” Grey sounds wary now.
I wait silently as the stranger, his father, responds.
“Franco knows we have her.”
“Dammit, how the hell—” Grey breaks off and swears then says, “I told you we had a rat.”
“Regardless of who leaked it, Franco’s got his own people spreading the news that we’ve taken his granddaughter.”
I get a look at the back of the man’s head. Dark hair, broad shoulders, black suit. Strong cologne wafts toward me, and I wrinkle my nose.
“Are you serious? The man’s truly lost it then. He’s only making himself look weak—”
“No, he’s making us look like assholes,” the man snaps.
Grey’s gaze flicks to me. The moment he sees me, his eyes widen, and he looks quickly back at his father.
“We can’t afford public opinion to shift,” the man goes on. “Not after all the work we’ve done to position ourselves this way.”
“There’s not much we can do considering it’s true.” Grey’s expression is hard now. He’s purposely not looking at me, but a muscle in his jaw is twitching.
He’s pissed.
“Not we, you,” his father says pointedly. “And yes, there is something.”
“Forget it. I’m out,” Grey says viciously enough that I take a step back. He goes on, his words laced with fury. “I came back here and did this one last favor for you, but that’s it. I’m not part of this—”
“Bullshit!” The man shoves to his feet, towering over his son. “You’re part of this family, like it or not, boy.” His tone is cruel now. Angry. “You can pretend otherwise, but that won’t stop the shitstorm from landing on your doorstep just as much as mine. Or have you forgotten you are the one who brought her here in the first place?” He pauses as if to let it sink in. “It’s you they want now, not me.”
“You fucked me,” Grey says quietly. “On purpose.”
His father doesn’t acknowledge the accusation. “One way or another, you’re involved. At least, playing offense means you’re in control.”
“I should have known there’d never just be one favor with you.” Grey’s tone is bitter. “What do you want from me now?”
“You’re going to convince that bitch to marry you.”
I make a noise of surprise, and the man whirls, giving me a clear view of his face. And him of me.
Shit.
Up close, I see that he and Grey do share a physical resemblance, but where the elder might have been handsome once, there’s a callous expression etched across his face that is deeply lined as if he wears it permanently.
“What the fuck are you doing out here?” he demands.
The cruelty in his eyes sharpens to daggers at the sight of me, and I shrink back against the far wall, silent.
Grey jumps up, heading off his father as the large man rounds the sofa toward me.
“I told you, she can’t leave, so what’s the point of locking her in a room?” Grey says, sliding between me and his father.
“The point is that this conversation is none of her damn business.” The man stops, looming over both of us.
“It’s my business if it’s about me,” I say, the words tumbling out before I can hold them back.
At my words, the man’s eyes gleam in a way that makes me want to shrink all over again. “All right, sweetheart. We’ll play it your way.”
“Don’t,” Grey begins.
