“Oh, I’m fucking dying to know.”
“Maybe you just don’t want me near your brothers,” she snarls before smirking, getting back that annoying confidence that I picked up on the first few times we met. “I mean, after all, when Riley offered me a ride home, you put a stop to that real fast, didn’t you?” She fucking smirks. “I don’t think you hate me at all, Ridge Adams. In fact, I think you just hate how much you care what I do.”
“Fuck you. That’s the furthest thing from the truth,” I snap. “I don’t give a shit what you do or who you do it with.”
My jaw tenses, and my nostrils flare. I wish I could tell her she’s wrong and actually mean it, but the truth is, I do fucking care what she does. I care too damn much. But, fuck no, I’m not going to tell her that.
In the midst of my anger, my cock twitches. On one hand, there’s something about her that I can’t fucking stand, and on the other, it makes my dick hard.
“Keep telling yourself that, big guy.” She winks. “You know, I was going to call my boss and tell him this was pointless and that I was ready to come back.” She tsks me. “But then you had to go and say that thing about having me the entire night, and I decided, nah … I’m not ready just yet.” She tilts her head to the side. “You see, sometimes, there’re loopholes when it comes to getting what we want. Sometimes, it’s finding the weakest link. But sometimes? It’s finding a problem and bringing attention to it.” She leans over slightly, continuing to smirk at me. “The property lines here seem awfully … unprofessionally done. Think I’ll have a look into the assessment. You know, just to be sure everything here is legal.”
When she turns away, I reach forward, gripping her chin. “Don’t fuck with my family, Fireball. It won’t end well for you.”
The heartless-tough-girl act falters, and I see a look of shock in her eyes.
Pulling away from me, she glares. “I may just have to fuck with your brother,” she whispers. “Or should I say … fuck your brother?”
The veins in my neck must bulge, and breathing becomes an actual fucking job. Everything inside of me wants to rush to the passenger side, throw her over my shoulder, carry her into the rental, and fuck her until she’s screaming out my name again.
Because I don’t want to even think about her screaming out anyone else’s.
But I let her leave, and I don’t even watch her as she walks away.
And despite how fucking angry I am, my cock stands tall.
Because that’s what Stella does to me, and I hate it.
“Obviously, he’s the killer,” I utter before taking a bite of my Toaster Strudel. “Even an idiot would know that.”
After Ridge dropped me off and was a complete dick to me, prompting me to tell him I was going to fuck his brother, I took a long-ass shower in an attempt to wash him from my body, and then I put my pajamas on and haven’t left the couch since. Well, other than to get some Cheetos or a fresh Toaster Strudel and pour a can of Coke over ice.
I’m supposed to call Victor soon, and I don’t even know what I’m going to say. I might have told Ridge that I’d fuck with his family and their land, but I wouldn’t actually do that. Despite him being an asshole, his family seems like good people. And I’m smart enough to know that I could offer them unlimited money and they’d still say no. Some things just can’t be bought.
My phone vibrates, and I sigh when I see Victor’s message, telling me to call him now. Taking my last bite, I take a swig of my soda and wash down the breakfast pastry before hitting Call. Most of my time here has been spent exploring the area, watching TV, or hating on Ridge Adams. I’m sure the company wouldn’t be pleased to know that I have hardly worked at all, but that’s why they aren’t going to find out.
“Hoping for good news,” he says, answering the phone. “Did you seal the deal yet, Stewart?”
Shit, he’s really cutting right to the chase.
I cringe, chewing on my bottom lip.
“Uh, not exactly,” I answer, attempting not to stutter. “Victor, I just don’t think it’s going to happen.” I tell him the truth. It’s something I’ve known since my first encounter with Ridge and his dad. I could see it all over their faces—this place is priceless to them. But I know I need to say something else. “I’m sorry.”
He’s silent for a second, and I know right away, that means he’s pissed. Victor is a spoiled brat who isn’t used to being told no. But what he has to realize is that he sent me on an impossible mission, and aside from drugging this family and then forging their signatures, it’s not in the cards for Ironbound to buy and build here.
“And why is that?” His tone is less than impressed, but before I can answer, of course he has to add something. “I sent you because I thought you could handle this, Stella. Did I make a mistake?”
“They are never going to sell their land, Victor. I’m sorry. I know how big this would be for Ironbound, but we need to find something else.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “This family would go to war before they ever considered selling out.”
“Then maybe a war is what they need,” he tosses back, and instantly, the hairs on the back of my neck rise.
“What are you saying?” I whisper, standing up and pacing around the living room.
Victor cares about no one other than himself. That makes him a dangerous person to have working against you. And I fear that soon, the Adams family will know that.
“I’m saying that I’ve been around this business enough to know that when there’s that much land, something has been done that wasn’t by the book at some point in time. And we’re going to find out what it was.”
“You’ve been the CEO for, like, a year, Victor,” I say, but I quickly change the subject, not wanting to make things worse. “What are you even saying? You’re going to, what, blackmail them?”
