You can never turn your back on him.
“I-I didn’t know you were here. Don’t you need to patrol the Rose floors or something?” I swallow, my heart sprinting in circles for no reason.
Almost a decade ago, Elias inserted himself into our business, helping us manage the personnel working on the five floors of sex and sin. Maxwell said without Elias’s tight leash, chaos would happen. Rich people and vulnerable sex workers equate to problems.
Unless there’s a mobster feared by all watching your every move.
“Stay the hell away from The Association,” Elias snaps.
Another command. Not even a please or a hello.
A little sugar first would be nice.I clamp down on the thought. Absolutely not.
He narrows his eyes as if he senses my changing mood. “And stick to your safe little cafés here. No coffee is worth your life.”
The man looks down his nose at me, contempt dripping from his voice.
Indignation sears my insides. “What’s it to you? The last I checked, I already have four older brothers, and none of them break laws for a living.”
His lips twitch—just barely—I swear, the man has no soul. He cocks his head as if studying me like a problem to solve. Then, a shadow crosses his eyes, and he arches his brow, clearly finding me lacking.
I don’t like him at all. But the darn butterflies beat their wings in my stomach again.
“Trust me. I wouldn’t want you for a sister.”
“You overbearing, misogynistic—”
“Whoa.” Rex tugs me back. “I’m all for fun and banter, but this stretches beyond—”
“Shut it, Rex.”
“You should look into this,” Maxwell murmurs, still staring at the photos. He hands them to Elias.
I snatch them back. “No way. I’m in more danger withhim,” I eye the mobster, “than a random SUV when everything could be a coincidence, anyway.”
“Give them to me.” Elias snaps his fingers.
“No.”
His eyes turn glacial. “I won’t ask twice.”
“Or what?” Because I have no sense of self-preservation, I step close to him. “You’ll tie me up and rip the papers out of my hands?”
Elias’s eyes flare, a sharp hitch of breath to follow. He doesn’t respond, but stands still, towering over me, his throat rippling as he swallows.
I struggle an inhale, my nerve endings lit up like sparklers.
He leans down.
“Don’t tempt me,” he whispers, so softly only I can hear.
A shudder moves through my traitorous body.Why am I reacting this way to him?I shove the papers at him.
“Fine. Look all you want. It’s nothing, guys. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
Not waiting for a response, I storm out the door, eager to escape the suddenly stifling heat.
And I swear, the asshole’s dark chuckles follow me out of the room.
