I pull all the way away from her and head to the kitchen. “No. But we went to a bar in Chadovich territory and threatened Daniil and Yury.”
“You went into a Chadovich bar?!”
“Yeah.” I grab a glass of water. “I think Tristan will get the picture that we need to have words.”
“Ransome, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Oh? And you suddenly became an expert in my affairs when exactly?”
The hint of a sassy look breaks through her tear-streaked face. “I’ve always been an expert in your affairs. Or have you forgotten what I do for a living?”
She has a point. But it still remains uneducated.
“Not these affairs. These affairs are mine to deal with.”
I loosen my tie as I make my way down the hallway. I need to get out of these starchy clothes. I need to clock out for once in my goddamn life.
“So where’s my part in all of this?” she asks, hot on my heels. “Because last I checked, I am very much involved. I’m parading around as your girlfriend. I know more about El Paso than I ever wanted to. Enough to get hurt. Enough to get shot at.”
“Nothing happened,” I snap as I undo my shirt and shrug out of it.
“He wants to kill you, Ransome!” she blurts out.
“He’s always wanted to kill me,” I say as I undo my pants.
“I mean for real,” she goes on frantically. “He knows you guys have something going on. Something big. And he wants you and Maverick and Baron and your dad out of the way. He even wants Dmitry out of the way.”
I step out of my pants and turn to face her. “How do you know all this?”
She blinks. “What do you mean?”
“How do you know he knows there’s a deal? How do you know he wants to turn on his own uncle?”
She swallows. Her gaze darts away from me. “It’s obvious, isn’t it?”
“Not that obvious.” I narrow my eyes and step closer. “Not unless you’ve been talking to him. Have you?”
“Have I what?” She avoids the question.
“Have you seen him?” I bark out. “Because people are talking.”
“What are people saying?”
“That you’ve been seen together. That you’ve been meeting in secret.”
“He was at the speakeasy,” she admits. “But I wasn’tmeeting with him,Ransome. He ambushed me. And then today, he?—”
“Stop,” I cut her off. I’m blazing with fury. She saw him and didn’t tell me. I trusted her to make her own choice, and she broke that trust. “You do realize how dangerous he is, right?”
Amara throws her hands up. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you!”
“I mean for you. For this.” I point between her and I. “He isn’t exactly a fan of you, considering you’re cockblocking me from his cousin.”
“Is that what you think? I’m a cockblock?” she demands. “Because last time I checked, your cock was just fucking fine.”
I grab her and pull her against me. “I could tear you apart right now,” I grit out.
“Oh, yeah?”
