Page 87 of Broken Halo

He presses his lips together as if it’s painful for him to have come to me. “I got nothin’ and it’s yur fault. Yurs and that stupid Montgomery girl.”

I take another step so we’re a foot apart and lower my eyes to meet his. “If I had all the money in the world, I wouldn’t toss you a penny. But kudos for putting on a pair of balls big enough to come here and ask.”

“Trig—” he tries, but I’m done.

I lean in to give him a slap on the back and when I’m close, I grip his shoulder so hard I feel him tense as I whisper low for only his ears—not one camera or microphone could pick it up, not even Eli Pettit is that good. “And if you so much as sneeze in Ellie Montgomery’s direction, I’ll kill you with my own hands. Got it?”

I pull back and he looks as though he wants to shove a shiv in my jugular, but for once, he actually uses his brain and restrains himself.

I raise my voice to a normal level and slap his shoulder one more time. “Good to catch up with you, Ray. Look forward to the restraining order.” I point to the ceiling again. “I’ll even send you a copy of our reunion video.”

He grits his teeth. “Fuck you.”

I smile. “Hey, you too.”

When I open the door, security is standing there where I told them to wait and I say, “Show him off the property and make sure his name and picture are added to the black list.”

“Sure thing, Mr. Barrett.”

I don’t look back because they know what they’re doing. Eli has upped the game and security is solid after what happened to Jen last year. My phone rings as I step inside the elevator. “Hey.”

“You filing a restraining order?” Eli asks.

“As soon as I get back to my office.”

“What was that last part?” he goes on. “When you went all sentimental on him?”

I smile and step off the elevator onto the executive floor. “Just wishing him well, Pettit. What else would I do?”

I hear him huff over the phone before he drawls, “Shit.”

“Gotta go. I’ve got a restraining order to draw up and then a meeting with your future wife. I’m gonna need a copy of that video.”

“Done.”

And we both hang up without a goodbye because we both have shit to do.

24

Good Cop, Bad Cop

When someone stabs you in the back, give ‘em a good nudge with the toe of your boot and move on with life.

Ellie

Standing at the entrance to my building that houses my studio and Statum Security and Investigations, I force myself to shove all the drama out of my head and appreciate the magic that’s coming together like good choreography.

I love all kinds of dance and at one time, I was good. Damn good. I didn’t even stick around to graduate from Juilliard when I had the opportunity to join a company on Broadway.

I might not be damn good anymore since I don’t practice daily, but I am good enough to teach and I’ve cased-out my competition. Quite honestly, I’m not worried.

My mother forced it down my throat and made me stick with it when I was a teenager and didn’t want to put in the twenty-plus hours a week it required. But for once, I’m grateful for my parents’ overbearing ways. To have this to call my own was worth it.

“It looks so good,” Quinn says from beside me, admiring the enormous logo the painter just finished. I had all the old brick painted pitch-black and my sleek, modern logo shines in bright-white. “When you said big, I had no clue you meant big.”

“Something to learn about the Montgomerys, sweet, young Quinn. We were taught to go big or go home.” I smile and look up to the wall where the mural meets the ceiling of the second floor. “I’m just glad Eli wants to be incognito and the only signage he asked for was the small plaque on the door to his offices. I get the whole wall to myself and I’m thrilled with how it turned out.”

“I need you to sign the check for the painters and electrician, but I’ll hold the painters’ until they’re done, which should be tomorrow. Electrical is wrapping up now. And don’t forget, you have more interviews tomorrow for instructors. The classes you’ve posted are starting to fill up. I think you’ll be able to add more classes next session and we can get all the studios in use.”

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