Page 170 of Perfect Pitch

As regal as any queen, she holds her own against my supposed anger. “I just need a moment of your time.”

“Why don’t you get it? You’re nothing more than an assignment.” I want to kill the bitch behind me as betrayal spreads across Austyn’s face.

“I understand.” The light catches Austyn’s expression for a nanosecond. Fortunately, her face doesn’t have any tears. It’s also devoid of emotion.

Zandra hooks a leg around the front of my thigh. “Let’s go have fun, baby.”

For a moment, I see the indecision on Austyn’s face. For just a second I draw up the images of this bitch behind me breaking into Beckett’s apartment. The way she and her friends trashed Beckett’s place, bashed his awards.

What would they do to his daughter? My heart?

Mustering all my fury, I whip Zandra in front of me and snarl to Austyn, “Go the fuck away.” I plunge my hand into Zandra’s hair and yank her head back as if I’m going to kiss her.

There’s no fucking way that’s happening, but I need to put on a show for both women.

Out of the corner of my eye, Austyn stumbles away. Tightening my grip, Zandra moans in pleasure. I drag her over to the wall. “Now, tell me why you’ve been paying so much attention to Beckett instead of me.”

Her eyes turn feral as they follow Austyn. “That stops now. I swear. I won’t go to Beckett or anyone else close to him again.”

“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” I slam her backward, and she moans. Disgusted, I sneer. “Christ.”

Zandra babbles, “It’s just you,... Mitch. From now on, it’s just you.”

I shove her away. “I don’t believe you.”

She drops to her knees and begins begging. “You have to. I don’t know what I’ll do if you don’t.”

Stepping back, my gaze twists toward the booth where I know Austyn is sitting. If I’m lucky, I can get this wrapped up tonight and no one will ever be threatened again. I crouch down. “Will you tell me what you did if I do?”

She begins talking, telling me everything she did to get near Beckett. But she’s smart enough not to admit to the felony break-in at Beckett’s. Damn it. I grab her by the throat. Unfortunately, I can’t erase the image of her taking pleasure from the grip. “Now, since you didn’t tell me the whole truth, you’re not getting what you want.” I push to my feet and start to walk away.

“Mitch! Mitch!” I hear the crazy screams behind me. I don’t fear that. What I fear is Austyn being escorted by one of the owners out of Redemption. It means no one is getting to her.

Not tonight.

Chest heaving, I jerk my cell out of my pants and call Kane. “Tell me you got it all.”

“I got everything. You already know it’s not enough. All the cops can get her for is harassment.”

I turn and kick the wall. I just shattered Austyn for nothing.

* * *

CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN

Every time I listen to #djkensington play, I feel like my soul is being ripped out through my throat. Is music supposed to feel like that?

—Jacques Yves, Celebrity Blogger

Even as I shudder and shake, rocking myself in the booth, I try to reconcile the man I just encountered with the one I’ve been in love with for months.

He’s the one who took our relationship from zero to sixty, from acquaintances to so much more so fast. Flashes of what we were drip through my mind as rapidly as the tears course down my face. The instant way we connected that first morning. The way he made my pulse race. The way I stood up to him like I did no other man. The way he pursued me, heard me. Celebrated my dreams, shared in my agony. His outrage at my being manhandled, his lips brushing over the slight bruise before taking mine in a kiss that said more than words.

His body was mine to take, our love was something to make.

Or so I thought.

“He was lying this whole time. I can’t believe it. Well, who wouldn’t say no to tapping Beckett Miller’s baby girl’s ass?” I berate myself.

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