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The heat of my rage cools, and I’m left feeling foolish.
“This happens every time I see her. She always disappoints me. I know better, and I’ll get over it. I just need a second.” I shake my head. “She got me good this time.”
I laugh, my shoulders shaking, but very little sound comes out.
“Don’t do that.”
“Yeah, I was an idiot. I won’t see her again.”
“No.” It’s nearly a growl, and when I jerk my head to face him, he must see something in my eyes, and he softens. “Don’t talk about yourself that way.”
“Or what, you’ll punish me?” I look at my hands, the steps, the oxidized copper walls, the blacked out-windows, just so I don’t have to see his face reflecting my emotions back at me.
“Yes, little thief. That is exactly what I’ll do. I’ll spank you till you can’t sit down. Then I’ll have to carry you everywhere, and you won’t be able to get away from me.”
I swallow hard and stiffen.
Why does that sound so good?
“I won’t let anyone talk about you that way, not even you.” He cups my face in his claws, my chin cradled in the sharp points of his talons. “She is your family, Julianna. It isn’t foolish to want to trust your family. It is foolish of her to miss out on being someone you can trust.”
I force myself to look in his eyes. It’s hard, but I do it.
“She knows about you. Not the Strange part,” I quickly correct, “just that we are seeing each other. Someone at the party last night must know Richard and said something. I think they might know that you’re paying me. They might know that others have paid me before.”
His stone face hardens further.
“She was recording our conversation today.” I shake my head in disbelief, my hands fisted on his chest. I pound my frustration on his stone skin. “She made it seem like she was on my side, like Richard was the one out to get me and she was just trying to help.”
I struggle for breath, hiccupping on air until I have to hold on to Titan’s shoulders for stability. His claws move in soothing circles over my back, helping me slow my breathing.
“We will get the recording back. We will find and destroy whatever information they have,” Titan says firmly.
“She got nothing from me today.” I worry my bottom lip with my teeth.
“If you aren’t sure, it is better we get any recordings they have. They might have been recording your phone conversations too. I can be in and out of their house without anyone knowing.”
“No, I can handle my case. It’s taken years of tracking down every job I’ve worked to find my old contracts, but I’ve done it. I’m so close to proving it’s all rightfully mine. And if they’re changing their strategy now, that means they know they’re losing. Besides, I keep all my communications behind passwords online or on my phone. And my mother doesn’t have Stiel working for her.”
“You don’t have to do this alone, baby girl.”
The deep grooves around Titan’s eyes lighten as he looks down on me. I know he believes he’s telling the truth, but I’ve seen what his Pull has done to him. After he gets the Keystone next weekend, I doubt he’ll have time to think of anything else, let alone me. This fight has always been mine and mine alone. I won’t forget it.
My mother and ex-manager don’t think I can win this on my own, but I know I’ll prove them wrong.
He continues, “Stiel has already tapped their phones—”
“He’s what?” I jerk back in Titan’s arms.
“I had Stiel look into you before you ever arrived at the penthouse. Standard protocol for any new security client or person being brought into our world…”
I’d assumed that was the case and not an unusual tactic for someone with a lot of wealth, but going so far as to tap phones is a surprise. And if Stiel had gotten into my mother’s and Richard’s phone with such ease, what did he have on me?
“… and after you explained your situation on the roof, it wasn’t hard for Stiel to shift his focus to your mother and ex-manager.”
“You should’ve told me.” I’ve been handling my case for ten years. I haven’t been perfect, but I’m damn proud of everything I’ve worked hard to achieve. My victories have been my own. Still, if all Stiel has to do is hit a few buttons to ease my worries a bit…
“I’m what they are using against you, baby girl,” he says gently, like it is all the explanation he needs to give for his actions.
