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“Get this girl something to drink before she worries herself to death, for God’s sake,” Taco said.
Within seconds, someone gave me some whiskey. I tipped that bad boy up and drained the clear shot glass. “Shit.” I shuddered, holding it out for a refill. If I was going down, I would get as numb as I could, so I wouldn’t understand what was happening. I finished the second drink and held it out again.
“Enough,” Cole said, snatching the glass from my hand. “I need you sober, Shae. There are some things you have to know.”
The alcohol tickled my senses, lulling me into a fake sense of calm. “I already know that you’re a fucking douche. You choke me, blast my sex video out to the world, talk to me like shit, and handcuff me to your bed without even an orgasm.”
The muscle in Cole’s jaw ticked, then he burst out laughing. The rest of the room followed suit.
My cheeks burned from my overactive chatty moment.
“Fuck, Shae. I didn’t realize you were such a lightweight or I wouldn’t have given you a refill,” Snake said.
I folded my arms, my lips curling into a sneer. “Thanks to Cole, I haven’t eaten anything today. He also found it necessary to throw me down on the ground and bust my knees open.” I pointed at the swollen, raw flesh.
“Fucking Ibrahim.” Cole rubbed the back of his neck, fury rolling off him in waves. His mouth curled, and I was suddenly distracted by how badly I wanted to punch him in the nose.
Irritated, I glared at my stepbrother. “Can someone tell me what the hell his problem with Ibrahim is? He won’t. Will any of you?” The men stared at me as if I spoke a different language. “I mean seriously, Ibrahim is a good guy and didn’t deserve Cole’s temper. He’s been Daddy’s limo driver for the last five-and-a-half years. He has family in Nigeria that he sends money to ...” My eyes landed on Cole, irritation crawling over my skin. “Not to mention, Ibrahim was areally goodfuck.”
Cole twitched with my words, then he clenched and unclenched his fingers before he rubbed his jaw.
Pure, delightful gratification swelled in my chest as I watched Cole’s temper flare.
“Damn,” Snake said, shaking his head. “You’re a little spitfire.”
The men laughed, then a heavy silence blanketed the room, and I glanced at each of them, attempting to understand what they knew that I didn’t. Their silence was thick with secrets.
I tossed my hands up, frustrated as hell that no one would explain what Cole’s problem was with Ibrahim. “Okay, well, guess Cole is just up to his typical shit, then.”
“Why don’t you sit down, Shae,” King said, patting the back of the couch. “I need to talk to you about someone else.”
For some reason, I already respected King. Plus, it was probably in my best interest to do as he suggested. I had a bad feeling about what he wanted to discuss.
I sank into the soft leather, wishing it would suck me in and I could simply disappear.
“What do you know about Greg Hampton, Sibyl’s father?” King asked.
Why in the hell were they asking me about Greg, Sibyl’s dad? “He and Daddy have known each other for years. When Daddy started his company, he asked Greg to be his business partner, but he didn’t take the offer. He seems like a good guy. Other than that, I don’t know him well. He was very good to us when Mom died, though.” Grief punched me in the stomach. If Mom were here, I would curl up next to her while she smoothed my hair and rubbed my back. My throat tightened with the memories and longing for her. Shoving the ball of emotions aside, I focused on the matter at hand. “Why do you care about him?” I wasn’t sure what game they were playing, but I was over it. “I don’t understand what this is all about. Other than being an eyewitness to your ‘business meeting,’ I have no clue why I’m here.” My shoe tapped against the floor, indicating I was growing impatient when I was actually super nervous. Unfortunately, when my nerves were frayed, I talked too damn much.
King stood next to me while Cole stood between two of the bikers near the fireplace. His gaze burned through me, and I squirmed in my seat. Then, I noticed the guy named Taco next to my stepbrother for the first time. Holy hell, he was hot. He had sandy blonde hair and hazel eyes. He was taller than Cole, with broad shoulders, and his jeans hung low on his hips and conformed to his toned thighs.
“We’re trying to narrow down possibilities, and looking into anyone who knows your family, including your father’s friends. It’s precautionary until we have more information. Hopefully, you can help us. The man at our business meeting … Someone is after Cole and they sent a rookie to try to do the deed,” King said, rocking on the heel of his black combat boots. “The son of a bitch tried to hurt your man.”
I cringed with King’s reference tomy man. Cole definitely was a lot of things, but not that. However, the fact that someone tried to hurt him caught my attention. “Who is after Cole?”
King tugged on the silver chain that hung from his jeans pocket. “Not sure yet, but we’re keeping an eye on anyone around him, including you.”
I stared at my stepbrother, my eyes narrowing with disdain. “So, Cole gets into some trouble and that justifies you taking a man’s life?” My brain spun out in multiple directions as I muddled through what this meant. Bile swam up to my throat. If Cole was in danger, then so was I. My father had always warned me about the company I kept. Little did he know he’d allowed the devil to stroll right into our home a few years ago.
I focused on Cole, attempting to read him but, as usual, failing. Seconds later, it felt like a nuclear bomb detonated in my head as the truth crashed down on me.
“That’s why cameras were in the limo. You’re keeping tabs on me,” I said, my tone accusatory.
Cole nodded. “I gave King my key, then he had someone install them for me.”
Fury stomped all over the fear, winning out as I hopped up from my seat and marched over to Cole. “You mean to tell me that I got caught inyourmess andI’mpaying for it?” I jabbed him in the chest with my teal-colored nail. “I’m sure you fucked someone over, but it costme! I could have lost everything!”
Cole closed the small gap between us, his eyes flashing with anger. “Let’s not twist the facts, Princess. You shouldn’t have been screwing the staff. What went down is on you. Not me.”
