Page 106 of Heartless
I took her hand to pull her toward the couch where she sat in the middle.Sitting on the coffee table in front of her, I set my forearms on my thighs and kept her small hand in mine.
“Edo will have his people watching you constantly to make sure you hold your part of the deal.”
“What...What does that mean?”
“The men who are watching the house are his.He has people working for him everywhere.Everywhere, Sienna, and they’ll report on you.You won’t see them, but they’ll be there.”Her fingers convulsed, and I rubbed my thumb over the back of her hand.“Baby, Edo is not to be played with.And the people who break their word to him disappear.”
At her sharp intake of breath, I leaned closer.“Sile and I will be watching over you as well.”And I was going to hire private security.
She blinked and nodded slowly.“All right.”
The trust was still there.It was mixed with fear, but it was there.
“I’ll find you a place to live.”
Her expression softened and she slanted closer.“Thank you, that would be great.I’ll draw up a budget and—”
“You won’t pay for it.”
The little jerk of her head was followed by a frown.“Of course I will.I—”
“No, Sienna, it’s done.Call it retribution.”
Her head tilted to the side.“Retribution for what?It’s not your fault if—”
“We suspect Morrison had your house burned down, but blocking the home insurance payout was on me.So was blackmailing your boss into firing you.”
She gaped, and her bruised expression gutted me.When her chin quivered, she looked at her lap, and my chest tightened, bracing for her silent tears.
I made my voice gentle.“Baby—”
“I didn’t stand a chance,” she whispered from under the curtain of her hair.
The heartbreak in her tone hit me right in the throat, and I slanted closer.“Sienna—”
She yanked her hand out and curled it into a fist before jumping on her feet.Pacing to the window, she put as much distance as possible between us.
I got on my feet.“Sienna baby—”
She whirled toward me.“Is there anything else I should know?”
I pushed my fists in my pockets.“No.”
Her gaze darkened.“Are you sure?Because for someone who loves inflecting the truth, you sure seem comfortable lying by omission when it suits you.”Combing her fingers through her hair, she exhaled slowly.“How soon can I be out of here?”
“Three days.You have my word.”
“Your word...”Letting out a derisive scoff, she shook her head slowly and gnawed at her bottom lip.“You keep hurting me, and I keep letting you do it.”
“Baby—”
Her back shot ramrod straight.“You supposedly hate Nigel, but you’re exactly like him.You two are cruel, rabid dogs, and I’m just the freaking chew toy between you.He preyed on my need for a family.He manipulated and lied to me to save his life.”She edged closer and pointed a finger at me.“But you, you preyed on my heart for a piece of land when you can afford to buy a hundred of them.You did it for revenge.For something that happened when I was a toddler and living on another freaking continent.”She hooked her eyes, bright with fury onto mine.“You win.Jake.You used me and you were better at it than he was.Go get your medal from Nigel.And go fuck yourself.”
“Sienna—”
“Get out,” she hissed.
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