AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m not threatening my guests.”
“Aren’t you?” I ask, throwing my arms wide. “They’re here to remind me what I have to lose, aren’t they? You’re doing this to scare me into obeying you.”
He smirks. “My point exactly. You just proved it.”
“Proved what?”
“I’m not threatening them,” he says. “I’m threateningyou.”
I’m not sure why I’m surprised he’s admitting it. Timofey has done a lot worse than make threats. Officer Rooney confirmed he has killed people. I shouldn’t be shocked he’s open about the depths of his depravity.
And yet I am.
“Leave them alone. I already told you I would do what you ask.”
“That was after I’d made the calls. I didn’t want to cancel on them just because you’d finally decided to be reasonable. Plus, in my line of work, I like a little insurance.”
“Is that how you view people? Like pawns you can manipulate and sacrifice to your pleasure?”
His chin dimples as he thinks. A shadow of stubble I didn’t notice yesterday covers his chin and jawline. “That’s exactly how I view people.”
“You’re disgusting. That’s horrible.”
He shrugs. “It’s better than being broke because I’m too busy bailing everyone else in my life out of trouble. Or has Ashley paid you back for the bail bondsman you hired six months ago?”
I blink at him. No one knows about that. Not even Noelle. I swore to Ashley it would stay between us.
“How do you—”
“Once I knew your friend had some run-ins with the law, I had Rooney look her up. Just like I expected, you had yet another financial dependent.”
“I bailed her out once. That doesn’t make her a financial—”
“Three times.” Timofey holds up three fingers and twists them slowly in front of me, showing me his scarred knuckles. “The adage is ‘three strikes and you’re out,’ but it looks like Ashley is on her fourth. I wonder what kind of fun drugs police would have to find in her car for her to get locked up for good?”
My heart stops.
Time stops.
“Don’t.”
“How are you going to stop me?” He smiles pleasantly. I swear he’s having a good time with this. This is fun for him.
“I… I told you I’d do what you asked.”
“And I told you I like a little insurance. Luckily, you come with plenty of weaknesses.” He shakes his head. “Why do you keep so many parasites around you?”
“You’re confused,” I say, brimming over with mock sincerity. “I know you can’t understand complex human emotions, but those aren’t parasites. They’re my friends and family. Maybe you’ve heard of them?”
He rolls his eyes. “If they stop you from living your life, it doesn’t matter if they’re blood, chosen family, or anything in between; they’re parasites. They’re sucking you dry, Piper, and you don’t even see it.”
“The only one sucking me dry is you,” I spit.
He stares at me for a second before amusement creeps across his face. “There’s a joke I could make here, but I don’t want to be crass while your grandmother is in the house.”
I grimace. “In your sick, sadistic dreams.”
Suddenly, Timofey closes the distance between us. His chest brushes mine, and I have to lean my head back to look into his eyes.
