Page 30 of Queen's Ransom

“Dex.”

“So Cee sends in her big brother to fight her battles now that you’re back?”

“You’re not worth her time.” Helena leaned a hip against the edge of the table closest to him. “And I’m pretty sure she could kick your ass on her own just fine.”

He glared at her. “Who are you?”

Chris mirrored her position at the other end of the table. “Don’t play dumb, Dex.”

He split a glance between them. “Why would I?”

Nothing in Dex’s gaze indicated he recognized her, and the look she caught from Chris said he had read the same. He hadn’t shown up for any of the divorce proceedings, which they’d both attended in case he had, so he hadn’t seen her there. And apparently he hadn’t seen her at the shop the other day, which meant he probably hadn’t been in the Charger. And given his dick swinging, she didn’t think Dex was smart enough to play dumb or that his ego would even allow it.

Chris grabbed the chair on Dex’s other side, spun it around, and straddled it backward. “You been hanging out with Lenny lately?”

“Why’s that any of your business?”

“What were you doing trying to break into the shop?” Chris countered, not taking the bait. Helena had to admit it was fun watching the investigator work.

“I left something there last time I was in town.”

“There’s a restraining order in place.”

“That’s why I went when Cee wasn’t there, but the damn bitch changed the locks.”

Helena grabbed the chains that held Dex’s handcuffs to the table and yanked them forward. Dex’s body lurched with the momentum, his chin smacking the table. She grasped the back of his neck, holding him facedown against the metal. “One, the restraining order applies to her person, home, or place of business. Two, next time you refer to her in a derogatory manner, your wrists will break and your teeth will wind up on the table. Do you understand?”

“You can’t do this to me,” Dex protested.

Chris grabbed him by the hair and angled his head in the direction of the camera above the observation window. “You see a light on up there?”

Dex’s gulp was loud in the otherwise quiet room. “Fine, yes, I understand.”

Chris released his head and Helena his neck, both stepping back. But neither went far, continuing to box Dex in, and Chris continued his interrogation. “Now, what were you doing with Lenny?”

“We’re friends. Can’t I just hang out with a friend?”

“You don’t have friends, Dex. You think you can use everyone. But you’re too stupid to realize you’re the one being used half the time.”

“You always were a self-righteous ass.”

“I don’t disagree,” Helena said. “But I also don’t think he’s wrong. We’ve got your and Lenny’s prints on car parts to prove it.”

“Fine.” Dex slumped in his chair. “He had a friend that needed some work done on a car, and I owed Lenny a favor.”

“How many favors?” Chris asked.

Dex stared at his twiddling thumbs.

Helena tapped the leg of his chair with her toe and he nearly jumped out of it. “Fine! Fine!” Celia could so kick this weaselly fucker’s ass. “Five figures or so.”

“Christ, Dex,” Chris cursed. “How’d you get that deep in debt with him?”

Helena wanted the answer to that question too, but she wanted the answer to another more. “Whose car was it?” Clearly it wasn’t Lenny’s, and after their chat with Remy last night, she’d bet money on it being Adrian—

“Mike Griffin’s.”

She would have lost that bet.

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