I closed my eyes briefly. “Send her up, Stew.”
Arturo gave me a predatory smile. “Grace? As in Grace Hart? She’s the one messing with your head.”
I threw him the finger. “Mind your own business. It’s time for you to go.”
“I’m not leaving until you give me an answer,” he said, rooted to the barstool.
Fucker.
At this point, I was prepared to agree to anything to get him out of here. But the second I said yes, he had me by the balls.
I shoved a hand through my hair. “I’ll talk to Chris Vargas of the Southside Creepers.” I knew Chris well, and he always had his ear to the ground when it came to the drug market. “I’m not doing anything else. So don’t get any ideas that you can jerk my chain or threaten me to do more of your dirty work by using my daughter. Are we understood?”
He climbed off the stool and buttoned his suit jacket. “I need answers quickly.”
“I can’t promise a time frame. Again, do we have an understanding?”
My nerves were clawing at my insides. If he didn’t get the fuck out of here, I might throw him out the window.
He squared his shoulders. “Fine, as soon as you know anything, call me.”
He didn’t like my answer, but that was too damn bad. His problem wasn’t mine.
I opened the door. “Don’t show up here again.”
As he was leaving, Grace came in. She assessed him as he was sizing her up.
“Grace Hart, good to see you. Pretty as ever,” Arturo said. “You have this man all in knots.”
“Do I know you?” she asked.
“No, but I know you. Brian, we’ll be in touch.”
Fucking Arturo.
I slammed the door shut, holding in my anger.
Grace stuck her hands on her curvy hips. “So, you are working for the cartel?”
“How do you know he’s cartel?” I returned to the kitchen to dump Arturo’s glass in the sink. I had to do something. Otherwise, I was a second away from carrying her into my bedroom.
Standing at the end of the island, she placed her purse on the counter. “I’ve seen enough of Duke’s associates over the years to pick them out easily. Is he the reason you moved to Boston?”
I cocked my head as I turned on the faucet. “No, Grace. What are you doing here? And how did you get my address?” My tone was harsher than I intended.
“Fran.” Her stare was making me antsy. “I didn’t tell her anything.”
I shut off the faucet, almost breaking the handle. “There’s nothing to tell. Now, again, why are you here? Weren’t you at Emma’s doctor’s appointment?”
“An hour ago.” She pursed her lips and closed the distance between us. “I’m worried about you.” She dragged a hand along my stubbled jaw.
I circled my fingers around her small wrist as we locked eyes.
My heart wentboom, boom, boom.Not because I was still pissed at Arturo or the dangerous direction my future was heading but because of the beautiful goddess before me. The one who was off-limits. Forbidden.
She rose up on her toes and gave me a tentative kiss, as if she was testing me.
An electrical charge zinged through me, and I stiffened. Blood pooled in my groin faster than I could take a breath, my cock pushing against my zipper.
