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“Oh, it’ll be more than aggravated,” Luca seethed.
“Then he pays off the police chief,” I went on, “who makes your life a living hell from that point on. And you know what happens after that? He buys the judge, too. So you don’t make bail. Or if by some miracle youdoget bail, it’s way more than you or your loved ones could ever afford.”
Tyler’s arms were crossed so tightly I thought he might rip through his marinara-stained shirt. He shook his head.
“So what are we supposed to do?” he spat. “Nothing?”
“No,” I countered. “You just don’t play his game. That’s the worst thing anyone could ever do to someone like Elijah. Refuse to play, refuse to set foot on his turf, and he can’t ever really hurt you.”
Jay reached out for me. Very gently, he stroked my hair back over the stitches.
“But he’s allowed to hurtyou?”he demanded in disgust. “That part’s okay?”
“I already told you, Elijah didn’t hurt me. I hurt myself.”
Technically it was true, even if they didn’t want to acknowledge it. Even if I didn’t want to see it for myself.
“Bullshit,” spat Luca. “If he didn’t confront you—”
“I never should have talked to him in the first place,” I cut in. “I should’ve gotten in my car and just driven away. That wasmymistake: not remembering what it was like to deal with a guy like Elijah. Thinking I could actually have a rational conversation with him, without it devolving quickly into something bad.”
I’d gone home after the hospital, rather than bother the guys at work. My first instinct had been to run to them, though. It was hard as hell not doing it.
But it wasn’t like I could hide what happened either. Especially now that I bore the scars from the encounter.
“And you’re saying he lives in our neighborhood now,” Tyler was asking for the fourth time. “On our very block?”
“He does.”
“Across the street and one house over?”
“That’s right, yes.”
“But how!?” Jay let out an exasperated laugh. “Those people have two little girls; still in grade school. They walk them down to the bus stop every day.”
I shrugged, feeling abruptly sad. “Not anymore.”
“You’re telling me they actually sold their house to this guy?” Tyler squinted. “Just up and moved — kids and all — in the middle of the school year?”
I felt terrible, thinking about the poor little girls being uprooted by their parents for the sake of money. But that’s how Elijah operated. He’d learned everything from his father, Sebastian Strong, a supposedly ruthless businessman who’d built an entire empire from absolutely nothing.
Sebastian was someone I at least had some respect for. He hadn’t just inherited his money, he actually earned it. While dating his son I’d only met him twice. But in an odd way, on both occasions, I felt like the old man had a measure of respect for me as well.
“This is impossible,” Jay barked. “People just don’tdothings like this.”
“You still don’t understand do you?” I moved closer to them, forcing them to look at me instead of each other. “This is Elijah Strong we’re talking about here. He does whatever he wants, whenever he wants. And if he thinks you’re his enemy…”
“He does everything within his power to crush you,” Tyler finished for me.
I nodded enthusiastically. “Yes.”
“And he’s a billionaire,” Jay said glumly. “So…”
“Thesonof a billionaire,” I corrected him. “But yes. He’s got the resources to do anything he wants.”
“And whatdoeshe want?” asked Luca.
I paused, scratching my head uncomfortably. I’d left this part out, so far.
