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“You’re done,” Griffin said softly. “I’ll petition the King to reassign you. He can decide if you keep your position in the cartel, but you’re done as my Duke.” He sighed. “And you might want to consider thanking Matthew for saving your ass.”
I met Eddie’s gaze and shook my head. I didn’t want or need his thanks. I just wanted him to get the hell out of there.
“Dismissed,” Griffin barked.
I had to give Eddie credit. He didn’t run from the room, but his step had plenty of giddy-up in it as he brushed past me and exited, shutting the door behind himself with a loud click.
“Wow,” I said, blinking rapidly as the adrenaline that had coursed through my body seemed to vacate rapidly. “What the fuck was that?”
“That was business,” Griffin said. “Thank you.”
“For what?” I asked, incredulous.
“For not letting me kill him.” He dropped into his chair and sighed, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms. “He took you out there to die today. And you just…let him get away with it.”
“No,” I argued. “I let him live. I haven’t let him get away with shit.”
I walked over to him and ran my hand over the seat Eddie had just vacated before I sat down in it.
Griffin raised an eyebrow at me.
“Just checking to see if he pissed his pants,” I admitted. “You’re fucking scary when you want to be.”
“Hey, you know that you’re more than just a fuck toy, right?” Griffin asked, his shoulders slumping as his gaze softened toward me.
“I hope so,” I teased. “Because technically I’m not even that, yet.”
I’d hoped to ease the tension with some humor, but Griffin didn’t seem to be interested in that.
“Matt, I’m serious.”
“So am I,” I assured him. “Look. I know I bitch about my role in the GSD a lot. But you have to deal with real shit. Things I’ve never even considered.” I shook my head. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me.”
“He’s not going to stop,” Griffin said, his gaze shifting to stare at the wall behind me. “I thought maybe he was jealous of you. But this is bigger than that. He might have his eye on my seat. And as smart as he is, he may have decided that the best way to get to me is through you.”
“So, maybe we should cool it for a while,” I offered. “Maybe I should leave. Or maybe we should just take him down already.”
“No, I can’t. I don’t have enough to pin on him to bring him down.” He blew out a sigh. “Hell, even today…you’re the only one who got shots off.”
“Do they really work for you?” I asked. “The Blue Horns?”
“Yeah.” Griffin nodded. “I have to bring in a certain amount of money every month. And sometimes that means getting the local gangs to run stuff for me. And since you sneezed five-grand up your nose yesterday—”
“Fuck off,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Okay, fine.”
“God,” Griffin moaned, dropping his head to his desk and resting his forehead on the blotter. “Maybe we should get out now. I’m too old for this shit.”
I clucked my tongue against my teeth as I stood and walked around the desk. Standing behind him I started to massage the tense muscles in his shoulders and neck.
“You’re not old,” I insisted. “You’re…experienced.”
“What was it you said? A normal house with a normal white picket fence and a cat?”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “That’s what I said.”
“I’m allergic to cats,” he said, sitting up and taking my hands in his, pulling me around his chair and into his lap.
“Well, to hell with you then,” I teased, wrapping my arms around his neck and leaning down to kiss him softly. “I wonder if Eddie is allergic to cats.”
