Page 13 of Lane

“I want to hit you so fucking badly right now, but I’m going to refrain. I’m afraid if I do, Raiden will climb between the seats and come for my throat. I shouldn’t worry about what he thinks, but here I am, a reminder of how much Vail and Hartley have affected me. Fuck’s sake!”

Albert chuckled. “One day, sir, you’re going to see what a blessing it is that they broke down a few of your walls.”

“I’m going to slice you open when you least expect it, Albert.”

“You won’t, but I appreciate the threat.”

“I’m becoming fucking useless,” Jordan muttered. “Everyone walks all over me. I might as well put a goddamn welcome sign on my back, invite those who work for me to take turns.”

“That’s not what happened in there,” Lane stated, his voice firm now. “I get that you’re mad at me, but I didn’t want you to lose out on the money. Not only that, but I’m so fucking bored. I need to be useful. I’m not sure what that looks like, but this was a lot of fun today.”

“Fun?” Jordan barked. “You call rubbing your ass on my buyer’s cock fun?”

“It wasn’t like I was about to fuck him or anything. I was just trying to get him to give in.”

“I’d hate to see what you’d do if he threatened to walk away altogether.”

I barely held it together. I was on the verge of punching the dashboard. Not only didn’t I want to deal with Jordan’s wrath, but I had zero desire to pay for what would be an expensive repair if I hit it.

“Will you take me along with you again?” Lane asked.

“I’m not sure what to say to that. I’m almost afraid of what you’ll do the next time.”

“I can handle myself,” he said in a defensive tone.

“Do you honestly think I’m questioning that after what I saw? Fuck, I should just stay home from now on and let you handle the negotiations.”

“Okay!” Lane exclaimed happily.

“That wasn’t a real suggestion,” Jordan growled. “Jesus.”

“I could do something though.”

Rolling my lips inward, I tried my best not to speak. How could Lane go from being the son of Edison Everhart to wanting to work for Jordan Altair Sr.? I understood what Lane said, how they were different. But this world hadn’t been kind to him. He’d been verbally abused by his father and brothers. He’d lived in a nightmare just so he could stay with his mom. Now he was in the thick of it again with a different man over him.

“I’ll think about it,” Jordan grumbled.

Lane was obviously an asset if he could be reined in some. I couldn’t go with him though. I’d end up reaching my breaking point if he behaved that way again. I’d forcibly remove him from close proximity to any one of Jordan’s buyers. That couldn’t happen. I enjoyed my job and had to remain employed in it.

“I’m deadly,” Lane said a few minutes later. “I know I don’t look like Raiden, but I can handle myself. I can shoot andfight well in hand-to-hand. I’ve been training. Plus, I’m good at putting on an innocent face and making people underestimate me.”

“No shit,” Jordan replied. “If I had known you were going to do what you did, I would have left your ass at home.”

“At least I was able to assist you.”

“Shut up, Lane,” he growled.

The remainder of the drive to Jordan’s building was spent in silence. Albert didn’t even feel the need to talk about anything. The man always had something to say.

I was so lost in my thoughts, remembering what happened right in front of me while I watched like I was out of my own damn body, I didn’t realize we were back at the building.

Lane’s hand touching my shoulder startled me. I jumped and turned to face him.

“We’re home,” he said softly. We were the only two left in the car. The doors were closed, and I didn’t see Jordan anywhere.

“Sorry,” I mumbled.

“Don’t be. Are you okay?”

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