AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Dexter
Ithink she’s got the message. I’m an evil bastard because I relish the sight of the blood draining from her face and the wild look in her eye. She looks as if she’s about to pass out as the enormity of her situation hits her hard. She is struggling and I find that strangely fascinating to watch. Her inward struggle is impressive because even now she just can’t bring herself to tell me what I want to know.
I keep the pressure up by staring at her—hard, and the flush to her face tells me she’s struggling with everything I just said.
In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a beautiful sight and wish I could take a photo and hang it on the wall to mark the occasion when this woman is faced with the hardest decision of her life—so far.
I decide to heap even more pressure on her and lean forward.
“I have a proposition for you.”
“You do.”
She licks her lips nervously and sits straight-backed in her chair.
“I believe you are looking for a job right now and I may just have one that would interest you.”
“You do?” I love that she is struggling for words because I want to break Holly Bryant and mold her into my fantasy.
“Yes, I would like to mentor you and help your career by taking you on as my assistant. Help you learn as a sort of apprentice. Take you through every department in my organization and at the end of it, when you have proved to me that you have learned every lesson needed to survive, I will set you up with the publication of your choice.”
As carrots go, this one is impossible to refuse and I see the emotion in her eyes as she almost crumbles before me.
“Seriously.” I think she’s going to cry as her lip quivers and she looks one hot mess as she struggles with whatever demons are clawing her back.
“So, one-time offer, Holly. Tell me your source and I give you the world. That is how valuable your information is. Nobody would know but us. What do you say?”
The air is tense and I think I’m even sweating as I lay it on the line and wait for her decision. Her fingers shake as she lifts the wine to her lips and the defeat in her eyes tells me I’ve won before she even utters the words I so badly need to hear. “My stepbrother.”
The words hang in the air, surrounded by confusion. “Your stepbrother.”
I stare at her in surprise and she nods, looking as if she’s just sacrificed him to Lucifer.
“Colton Jeffrey. He fed me the information and told me it would elevate my career. He made me swear not to reveal his identity because it would put him in danger.”
I say nothing and just leave the room. I can tell she’s surprised, but I don’t have a moment to waste.
As Sam steps forward, I say urgently, “Guard her, I need to deal with the information.”
“She told you; man, that was fast.”
“Did you ever doubt me, Sam?”
He laughs as I push past him and head straight to my den. Ryder needs this information so we can locate this Colton Jeffrey and find out just where the trail ends.
The relief is a welcome passenger as I sit behind my desk and remove the phone I only use to call the other Five Kings. Momentarily, I wonder if that’s wise because there is still one more king who has yet to earn our trust in this. Sighing, I replace it and head off to the kitchen, where I find Maisy washing up and clearing away the debris of our meal preparations. She looks up in surprise as I say quickly, “Please, may I use your phone?”
“Of course.”
She whips it from her back pocket and I smile my thanks. “Just a quick text, sorry to ask.”
Turning away, I punch in the name and then tap in Ryder’s number. Once sent, I delete the message and history and hand it back. “Thanks, darlin’. Lovely meal by the way, my guest enjoyed it.”
“Will you be requiring dessert?”
“Sure, why not.”
Now the job’s done, I can relax a little. I have the information we needed and now I have the interesting company of a woman I’ve just chained to my side for the next few years. Was it worth it? Just thinking of the woman waiting for me, makes me almost run to get back to her. Yes, it was worth it because this is just the beginning for Holly Bryant and Dexter Prince and only time will tell where this journey takes us and I’m desperate to get started.
