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“He never would’ve had the chance if you stayed out of it! He needed money, security. He said once he had stability, then he would collect. Do you know how long it would have taken him to get to that point without your interference?”
Slade threw up his hands. “And then you would have been in the exact position you are now. Don’t try and peg your own stupidity on me.” They were both shouting, careless of anyone listening in or the fact that this was a professional office.
“He wouldn’t have had the chance. He was fucking homeless, asshole. I gave him a job as a fucking bellboy. That was my agreement. You promoted him to an executive position without even knowing him. Don’t act like you didn’t know exactly what you were doing. If he stayed working as a doorman it would have taken ages for him to get to this point. I could have married her by then!”
“Married her?” Pure revulsion contorted Slade’s face. “Jesus Christ, you’ve actually lost it.”
“I will marry her, make no mistake. This little game you’re playing, it won’t work. I just have one question for you and then our business will be concluded once and for all.” He shook his head and glared at the man who’d once been his friend. “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why do this, Slade? Monique’s dead. It isn’t as though I’m keeping you from a life with her. She did that herself. Move on. For God’s sake, move the fuck on. For you to betray me like this . . . you were my friend, but I’ll never see you as anything more than an enemy from here on out. I just need to know why.”
Slade pressed his lips together and scowled.
Lucian scoffed. Shaking his head, he looked away and quietly said, “You don’t even have a reason, do you?”
“Oh, I have my reasons.”
“Then tell me. What did I ever do to you to make you hate me so much?”
Slade looked as though he had something to say, but was torn on whether or not to put it out there.
Lucian gave a dry laugh. “Might as well say it. Whatever sort of fucked-up friendship we had is over. No fixing it now.” He stared at Slade for a long moment, wondering when he’d become so deceitful, then scoffed. “You don’t even have an excuse. Pathetic.”
The other man remained silent.
Lucian turned away and when his hand touched the knob of the door he said, “Send my assistant a number. I’m buying out your share of Patras. I won’t work with someone I can’t trust.”
Slade still said nothing. Lucian opened the door and stepped out, but paused. “And Slade . . .” Turning, the other man met his glare. “You ever betray me again and I will make it my life’s ambition to personally take over and destroy everything you love. I did it to my father, don’t think I won’t do it to you.”
He should already be making plans to dismantle Slade’s life, but their history made him hesitate. Slade being a scumbag didn’t make it any easier for Lucian to drop to that level. However, he knew he would make Slade’s life an unending nightmare if he were incapable of fixing things with Evelyn.
Truth be told, there was nothing he loved more than her. She trumped all, and anyone who got in his way of having her risked their life.
Slade knew when to step back and recalculate. He was outmatched. It was like a mom-and-pop burger joint taking on the Golden Arches; one was all emotion and the other was sheer power. Slade was a professional. Patras was a brand, a name trusted by generations. He was the wealthiest man in the city, and Leningrad’s yearly profits were a pittance to his.
He shut the door and strode back to the reception desk, where two uniformed security guards were waiting. “I’m leaving in a minute,” he growled. “Before either of you boys put a hand on me, why don’t you ring up Mr. Bishop and ask him if that’s wise?”
He turned and headed down the hall, past several gawking eavesdroppers, and toward a long line of executive offices. When he found the one he was looking for, he pushed on the half-open door and waited.
Hughes sat facing the window, speaking on the phone. He turned at the sound of Lucian’s arrival and stilled.
“I’ll call you back.” He hung up the phone. “Patras?”
“The clock starts now. You have thirty days, and then all bets are off. I gave you a job. I gave you time. Now I want this over. And Parker, make no mistake, I don’t share. Once your time’s up, you come near her again and I’ll kill you.”
The little shit’s mouth kicked up to one side. “She wouldn’t marry you, huh? Don’t deny it. I know you tried.”
