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“I’m more than happy to discuss business at your convenience,” he stated. “You can contact my assistant for scheduling.”
Samuel’s brows lowered at the information. “There’s no sense in dragging anyone else in on this,” he argued. “We can deal with this among just us men. No sense in dragging in that female. She demands too much information.”
Which meant they had already been in contact with Tehya at one time or another.
“That’s an assistant’s job,” he reminded them.
“Could be dangerous considering your line of business,” Samuel suggested quietly. “For you and her. Possibly for Bailey.”
The thinly veiled warning had John smiling back at them coldly.
“Your influence and power don’t extend to my world, Samuel,” he stated calmly, his tone dangerously quiet. “Remember that before you make the mistake of threatening me, my assistant, or my lover. It could be a fatal mistake on your part.”
He turned his back on both of them, found Bailey again and headed across the ballroom to join her. He didn’t move angrily; he showed no visible signs that he was within seconds of turning this little house party into a brawl.
He had his reputation, just as Warbucks did. His reputation involved taking no bullshit, no threats, no matter the client. He’d stared down men more dangerous than Warbucks had proven himself to be, many times over. Men who would rather shoot him in the back than look at him. And he’d survived it.
Warbucks didn’t trust or deal with men who catered to his ego. He liked a challenge. He enjoyed forcing those he felt beneath him to recognize that he was the superior being.
It was a readily known fact that John considered no one but God as his superior. He wasn’t a humble man and he didn’t pretend to be.
“John, we were getting ready to send a search party out for you,” Kira laughed as he moved in behind Bailey. “Raymond’s known for holding interesting guests for hours at a time in that library of his.”
He moved against Bailey, let his arm circle her waist, pulled her to him, and tucked her against him.
“Raymond enjoys retelling his former adventures.” John grinned easily. “And I enjoy listening.”
“Raymond led such an exciting life.” Mary Greer sighed in delight. “And he gave it up to spend his days with me.” It was obvious she was extremely proud of her husband.
“At least he talks about something other than stock interests and the falling dollar,” Janice drawled with an air of boredom. “Which are the only tall tales I get to hear.”
As the group laughed, John lowered his head to Bailey’s ear.
“Are you ready to retire to our room with me?” he asked her, though he was pretty damned certain she was more than ready.
“Surely you aren’t stealing our girl away from us so soon, Mr. Vincent?” Mary smiled with no small amount of affection as she stared back at Bailey. “It’s so rare I get to spend much time with her.”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Greer,” he apologized with what he hoped was the greatest sincerity. “She’s not been sleeping well this last week and I thought she’d enjoy a nap.”
“Oh dear, yes.” A frown instantly marred Mary’s expression as she leaned closer, her arms going around Bailey. “Go rest, dear. We’ll see you at tonight’s party.”
Bailey accepted Mary’s hug and returned it with one of her own as she shot John a reproving look. It really wasn’t nice to lie to such a gentle creature, she thought with a flare of amusement. Trust John to be the one to do it. He was smooth, sincere, and completely unrepentant.
Accepting his hand, she allowed him to lead her from the ballroom and the buffet that had been set up there. It wasn’t as though she had been able to eat while he had been locked in the sitting room with Raymond.
She was just about fed up with being locked out of meetings. John slipped off while she was asleep to meet with his team, Raymond so very politely ordered her to leave the room. As though she were the little woman without a brain in her head to protect herself.
“I’m not happy with you,” she stated with a soft whisper as they moved up the stairs.
“Should I be upset?” She didn’t like the vein of amusement in his tone either.
“You should be scared,” she informed him. “Very scared.”
Rubbing his fingertips against the small of her back, his head lowered closer to her ear as they reach the landing. “I’m trembling in my briefs.”
Damn him, he didn’t wear briefs and they both knew it. He was blissfully naked beneath those jeans he was wearing.
“You should be,” she muttered as they reached their bedroom door.
