I don’t know how long I sat there contemplating my life and the changes one fiery former stripper had brought into it when I suddenly heard the snick of a key in a lock. I didn’t move but I did stretch my arms along the back of the couch and turn my face to the door so that she couldn’t mistake who was waiting for her once she entered.

She was on the phone bemoaning having to spend the last couple days locked up and having to get bonded out. She had her hands full of shopping bags and was oblivious to the fact she wasn’t alone until she was almost on top of me. When she had the door shut and locked behind her, she started to make her way into the living area of the town house. I saw the moment she realized something was wrong because she went still and her mouth quit moving . . . finally.

I smiled at her and her phone fell out of her hand as she turned to bolt for the door. I got to my feet and prowled toward her as she struggled with the lock. I even stopped to pick up her phone and disconnect the call she had been on. I slid the device into my pocket and put a hand on the door over her head as she finally got the lock twisted and tried to pull the door open.

“I’m calling the police! You better get out of here!”

She sounded nervous. She should.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve had my fill of you and your nonsense. I’m here to tell you exactly how things are going to go down from here on out, and you’re going to listen to me or you’re going to disappear and no one will ever find your body. Do you understand me?”

Her eyes got so big I didn’t think they were going to stay in her face, but even with me looming over her and my very serious threat hanging in the air, she still didn’t shut her mouth.

“You cannot break into my home and threaten me. You’re going to go to jail.”

If I was the type to roll my eyes, I would have. I towered over her, wanting her to feel caged in and trapped.

“I really liked that car you totaled. But more than that, if I hadn’t been alone and you’d hurt someone I cared about with all your crazy, there would be no end to the lengths I would go to make you suffer. I don’t think you understand who you’re dealing with, so let me lay this out for you in terms you have to understand.” I bent my head close to her ear and let my voice drop low and hints of my native language filter into it. “I have murdered guilty and innocent alike and never stopped to think about the difference. I am a man who has done and will do whatever it takes to stay on top and that makes me more dangerous than you can possibly imagine. I didn’t earn my place, I took it.” It was over-the-top but it was all also true. “I do not take people who threaten me or my business lightly, so you have two choices. You can disappear or I can make you disappear. It’s up to you.”

I took a step away from her and smiled at her again. “Either option you pick, I’m taking all that money you’ve been skimming from your boss at the bank, after I let the oh-so-helpful boys in blue know about your sticky fingers.”

She gasped and let her head thunk back against the door. “You can’t do that! I need that money. I’m getting divorced thanks to you and now I have to pay all the fines for the accident. I won’t make it. I’d be better off if you did just kill me.”

I lifted an eyebrow at her dramatic wail. “Suffering the consequences of your own terrible decision making probably feels worse than death, but it isn’t. For once, do something smart and just go.”

She gave me an appraising look and sniffled a little. “Would you really make me disappear?”

I gave her a sharp nod. “I would. I know people in places where no one bothers to look. Where you ended up would feel like a death sentence and every single day you would wish you had made a different choice. You’re annoying and dangerous. I don’t want you around my city or the people in it.”

Her bottom lip moved like she was about to cry, but I didn’t buy the show for one second. I reached for the door and my hand grazed her hip. I saw another plan hatch in her eyes but pulled the door open behind her and moved her out of my way before she could even try to come on to me.

“You have until tomorrow to decide what to do. Don’t bother looking for the stolen money. It’s already gone.” At least it should be if Chuck had passed my message along to Stark before he left the club. Having a computer hacker around was proving to be well worth the investment.

I shut the door behind me as she was sputtering about how there was no way she could leave without money or help. She was also calling me every nasty name in the book.

As I headed back to Chuck’s SUV I thought he would be so proud of me. Sure, I had manipulated and threatened, maybe even used a little bit of force to make my point with the obnoxious woman, but I hadn’t actually hurt her and I gave her an out. It was up to her to take it or leave it. If she didn’t, I would do what had to be done.

That was something a real boy would do . . . well, a real boy who had to keep control of the underground empire that powered this cesspool of a city.

Chapter 13

Keelyn

Things went back to business as usual when Nassir came back from whatever mysterious errand he’d had to run. He returned looking unruffled and as polished as always. He also deflected any and all of my questions about where he’d been and what he’d been up to. He made it very clear where the lines in this fledgling togetherness were going to be drawn. He would give me all of what he had, but if he thought that any of his actions or practices would make me a person of interest to the authorities or put me in some kind of compromising situation, he wasn’t going to utter a peep about them. It annoyed me and frustrated me, but then he reminded me that if I wanted to know about all the things he had done to get to where he was now, I would have to listen to all the stories filled with horror and death from his past.

He also told me that if something happened to him I was the one that was left in charge of the club. The club that provided so many jobs and so much income for the people of my city. I reeled a little that he said this so calmly, like I was the clear choice to take over for him. Me, not Race, not Chuck . . . but me. His partner in so much more than business. His equal in so many ways. I needed to keep my hands clean and head clear, so I agreed to stop pestering about his bad-guy stuff as long as he promised to let me know if shit was really going to hit the fan so I could grab a shovel and get ready to dig. He solemnly agreed and then dragged me out of the city and up into the Hill so he could buy a new car.