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“Careful, Mr. Colton. The next time you touch me without my permission, this knife will be buried inside of you. Do you understand?”
He gulps before nodding eagerly. I offer him a bright smile, withdrawing the knife and hiding it back inside the strap beneath my dress.
“We’ll be in touch. I have an excellent idea for a partnership between us.”
“I can’t wait to hear it,” he says, voice dull and eyes wary. After one last smile, I turn around, making my way out of the party.
I am so sick and tired of people underestimating me and walking all over me.
When I arrive at the car, I find Xander and his brother in some kind of stare down. Xander’s glaring and Graham looks equally as pissed.
“For fucks sake, if you want to know so bad then ask her!” Graham yells.
I arch an eyebrow as I move closer. Both of their gazes immediately shift upward towards me. I take them in for a moment. They look extremely alike, both brothers. Even their mannerisms are the same. But they’ve never really gotten along, not that I blame them for that. Especially considering Graham’s character.
“What’s going on?” I ask, trying to diffuse tension.
“He wants to know where we met five years ago,” Graham replies, pointing at his brother.
My breath seizes for a second at that. I look towards Xander, trying to think of something to say.
“This isn’t really the right place…” I begin to say.
He pulls out the keys, unlocking the car. “You’ll tell me on the way. Let’s go,” he says, tone bordering no argument.
I roll my eyes. He’s certainly become even more arrogant in the years past. Still I follow him inside, Graham climbing into the back seat. His expression has cleared and he looks amused again. He thrives on situations like this.
Meanwhile my heart is racing as I consider exactly how I’m going to tell him the truth. As soon as we’re away from the premises of the party, we all take off the masks. They come off and Xander’s glancing at me.
“I’m waiting, princess,” he prompts.
I inhale softly. “I saw Graham five years ago in D.C. At your home.”
His eyes swivel towards me for a second in surprise and he takes his eyes off the road. But only for a second before he’s looking back in concentration.
“Maybe I should drive. Not really interested in getting into an accident because your baby mama’s delivering shocking news,” Graham suggests from the back.
“Shut up, Gray,” Xander mutters.
I turn to glare at him for the name he referred to me as. Even though it’s true, I feel uncomfortable being relegated to just that.
“What were you doing in my house?” Xander questions.
My chest tightens as I reply. “I wanted to see Nate,” I whisper.
His face doesn’t ripple at that but I notice his hands tightening around the steering wheel. He doesn’t speak so I continue.
“I tried so hard to stay away from him but that day I just broke and decided to fly to D.C. I drove to your house without a plan. I had no idea what I wanted to do. I just,” my breath hitches. “I wanted to see my son. I drove all the way towards the front of your gate and then I just couldn’t do it anymore. I parked at the side of the road, asking myself what I was even doing there in the first place. I was about to leave, but then a man came out of the house and walked to the side of the car. He said he was your father’s assistant and that your father had requested my presence inside the house.”
Xander’s jaw clenches. “You were in my home five years ago?”
“Yes, I followed the man in and he led me towards the back. I think he was trying to ensure no one saw me. He led me to your father’s office and then he left.”
“What did he say?”
My eyes fall shut as I remember the conversation. Richard Steele’s a pretty scary man. My father’s a former mob boss and yet I don’t feel nearly as intimidated as I felt that day in his presence.
“Well he was pretty angry. There were some threats, a lot of underhanded digs at my character. He promised to destroy my family if I ever showed up there again.”
