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“You hiding something from me, Nick? Care to share, for instance, who this girl is, or why it is you’ve just got to have her specifically?” I wonder if he’s going to try to tell me her dear old dad is just fine and dandy with her new love life.
Nick looks thoughtfully toward the ceiling, as if he has to think about my question. I know better; it’s a bullshit move, and he thinks he can try to placate me. “No, Travis, there’s nothing to hide. I don’t get the twenty questions, though.” His lips thin in annoyance, as do mine.
“How long, Nick? How long have you been planning this, and why wasn’t I privy?” I pointedly ask. I’m getting even more pissed, and I can feel the boiling rage beginning to surface. I take a deep breath. I’ve got to control my emotions. My stonewall face falls naturally back into place. I can’t let myself get worked up over this shit for the wrong reasons.
Nick raises an eyebrow and says with growing concern, “Correction, twenty-one questions. Why, Travis? Jealous much?” His body begins to visibly tense, and I can see he’s going on high-alert. I can clearly see the man is hiding information from me, and I know I won’t get anywhere approaching him from this angle, so I back off…for now.
“Hell no, I’m not into owning bitches; you know that. My intuition tells me, however, you’re running rogue here,” I glare accusingly at him, “and I despise surprises, Nick. I won’t be kept in the dark about anything. People get their throats slit when they don’t know who their true enemies are.”
Nick visibly becomes less tense and explains, “Look, the fiancée was given a more-lucrative opportunity elsewhere.”
He shrugs. “With very little persuasion, he decided having his own architecture firm took precedence over his love life.”
“So basically what you mean is, you were going to have the boy killed if he didn’t turn around and silently walk away.” There’s a bite to my voice as I briefly narrow my eyes.
“Very good, Travis.” Nick tilts his head to the side inquisitively. “Why is this so hard for you to comprehend? We do this all the time.”
He keeps trying to get me off track, purposefully misconstruing my questions, and answering me elusively with another subject. I need intel on the Oakleys, what I’m up against, and why he chose to take the daughter of one of the most powerful men I know. That’s the thing about dealing with people in this business—you never know what their true intentions are, and you’re left wondering if you’ll find a knife in your back when you least expect it.
Crossing my arms, I gesture to Nick, lifting my chin with a quick nod. “All right then, let’s talk about your little princess, shall we?”
“What about my little princess, Travis?”
“You screw this shit up, it not only looks bad on me, but it will make a fool of you. Care to tell me what the hell you were thinking when you decided to dominate her last night, before the Blyss has even had time to get regulated in her system?” Pointing my finger at him, I ardently say, “If you don’t diligently dance around her emotions in this first phase, you’re going to create a deep-seated bitterness within her, and that’s something even Blyss won’t be able to quell. She will either fight you at every turn or secretly scheme against you. At the point her subversion becomes apparent, you will be made the laughing stock, the fool. I will not be known as her trainer. You are not going to mar my reputation, just because you can’t control your shit.”
“I get it; I got the picture—“
I interrupt him mid-sentence, “No, I’m not sure you do, Nick. Imagine wanting to take her somewhere public as your piece of arm candy, and she goes AWOL. How do you think that will look on our business, our drugs, our training?” I arch a brow accusingly and watch as he shrinks back a bit, looking guilty. “Do you now understand why it is we don’t let clients visit their newly-acquired merchandise before we’re done with them? You need to back the fuck off.”
Nick raises his palms in surrender, attempting to ward off my escalating anger. “All right, man, I get it. I got out of hand. It won’t happen again.” He shakes his head, running his hands through his hair again. “You’re right; I can’t afford to screw this one up. I just got a little excited and couldn’t help myself.”
I half-laugh at his absurd wordage. “A little excited? Well, tell me then, how do you expect to contain yourself next time, Nick? I mean, not unless you want to be the one to train her after she’s had a colossal mind fuck…bestowing more damage on her than you already have, that is.”
