Page 133 of The Villain

I focus on Matthias alone.

“I’m busy, get on with it.”

“Don’t,” Felix hisses at me, his eyes shifting between us warily as Matthias’ anger grows.

“Gentlemen,” Matthias gives a wide, teeth-bared smile at Ira’s team. “Let me introduce you to my son, Daniels.”

Ira’s team rears back from me like I’m a poisonous snake in their midst. I’d laugh if I wasn’t pissed about this whole dramatic display. Leave it to Matthias to make a performance out of what could be a simple phone call.

“Son?” Brian looks between me and Andi in confusion. Then he looks from her light coloring to Gabriel’s darker shades to connect the dots. Same dad, different moms. “Holy shit.”

“There’s hope for one of you,” Matthias gives him a dead stare.

Andi reaches under the table to grab Brian’s leg. The less they draw attention to themselves the better.

“We’ve had Daniels in the team?” Ira stares at me blankly before disbelief starts to take over. “Bullshit.”

“Were we being watched?” Brody asks nervously, glancing around the table warily.

“I was being watched so this jackass could keep a bead on my movements apparently,” I meet Ira’s eyes without expression. His shoulders shudder at the blank look and he leans back again.

“Watch your mouth, Daniels,” Matthias grits out.

“I’m no longer in this scenario. I’ve warned you,” I remind him, turning my eyes on the biggest enemy here.

“I wanted to keep you safe,” Matthias protests with a stubborn tilt to his chin. I recognize the look. He’s fucking lying. I can tell by her expression that Andi sees it too.

“You’ve let them know who I am and that continuing to fuck with me would be unadvisable,” I look at the cast on Blaze’s arm. “That should have gone without saying but they are morons. You should take your own advice on this one, Matthias.”

“You’d make your mother a widow,” he taunts me with a raised brow. Here’s the concern I was looking for. Hidden under all the bullshit. He really does care for my mother. It’s the only thing saving his pathetic ass. He certainly doesn’t care about anyone else, his children included.

Gabriel’s cold expression turns to Matthias as his guards tense up.

“Evilyn will be taken care of regardless,” he informs his father in a tone that drips ice.

I’m surprised about the backup. Mom won someone over to her side. That figures. And makes me a little jealous. He’s seen more of my mom than I have in a long time.

He notices my narrowed eyes and turns that frosted face to me.

“I mean it,” he says in a less frigid tone.

Considering he lost his biological mother early on I shouldn’t be this pissed at him. He’s latching onto a sweet woman who probably squeezes his cheeks and sets him up on a million dates.

“How many women has she set you up with?” I ask with a smirk.

He blinks and his eyes slide away from me. “A concerning amount.”

“Tell her no,” I suggest with a vicious smile.

Ace, standing behind his chair, nudges Gabriel’s shoulder with a laugh. “It’s a trap, Gabe. Nobody wants a pissed off Mama on their hands.”

“Enough,” Matthias retakes control with a glare at us both. “Evilyn isn’t anyone else’s concern anymore.”

“That’s real subtle and bullshit,” I tell him, turning that smile in his direction for the first time. It makes the grin worse when he pales a little. “Mom has been in contact with me since I left your pet assassin project. I even texted to let her know about this meeting. You didn’t tell her what your special emergency was about? Her own son? For shame.”

“Shut the fuck up, Shade,” Blaze tells me, his eyes wide with shock.

When Andi’s boyfriends don’t look surprised at the reveal of his business, Matthias' anger turns on her next.

---