Page 10 of Indecent Villain

I clear my throat and take a step back. “None of it is your fault.”

Her head tilts to the side. “Is she your woman?” Her gaze drifts toward the office door.

“Stay with Jock.” I turn and stalk toward the office. Blaze moves past me as I appear in the doorway. With my eyes locked on Veronica, I hiss, “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Now, is that anyway to speak to your fiancée.”

6

KINSLEY

“Stayout of that woman’s way,” Jock warns. I raise a brow, and he continues, “For now, she is engaged to Beckett.”

“Oh! I see.”

Jock chuckles. “You don’t, but I’m sure you will before this nightmare is over.”

I frown at the man. “He didn’t appear to like her.” The woman, dressed in a tight red dress highlighting her long and firm legs, appeared to be used to getting her own way. Maybe not with Tiberius, though.

“He doesn’t.” Jock glares toward the closed office door.

I have more questions than answers, especially after the arrival of the mysterious Veronica. As I turn toward Jock, the man rolls his eyes.

“What now?” he asks with mirth.

“Other than Tiberius’s fiancée, who is she? She obviously has money.” I pause. “Or does Tiberius fund her tastes?”

Jock snorts. “I can assure you that the man himself has neither bought nor paid for anything to do with that woman. She gives him a headache.” He takes my arm and leads me into the library. Once the door is closed behind us, he meets my gaze. “Do not engage Veronica in conversation. If she tries, ignore her. She is a viper, Kinsley. Beckett’s only with her to get access to something.”

“She’s pretty.”

“Not as pretty as you.”

I grin at the blushing man. “You think I’m pretty?”

He smirks. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

“As if,” I scoff. “On that note, do you mind if I go and take a nap? I’ll set my phone alarm for dinner.”

“Go ahead. I’ll be in here for a time. I love old books.” His eyes roam over the shelves.

“My father collected them from all over. He even had an antiquarian bookseller who would look out for old tomes.”

“That’s sweet. I’ll have my own library of books one day.”

“I hope you do, Jock.” I smile. “I’ll be down later.”

“Make sure you are. The boss was right, you need more meat on your bones.”

Leaving Jock to the library, I hurry up to my room. I lock the door behind me and dash to my walk-in-closet. Inside, I shove the boxes of shoes to the side and then sit beside the large air vent. I discovered years ago that if I listen carefully and the people speaking in the office below use a normal tone, I can hear everything.

My father had uncovered that fact before I ever heard anything too juicy, but Tiberius doesn’t know. I smile to myself as Veronica’s angry voice travels into my room. So does Tiberius’s as he tells the woman, “Keep your voice down.”

I catch the words: basement, secure, beaten, refusal, next. None make sense on their own. Then the volume seems to go up.

“I’ll fuck you.” My face turns fuchsia and my body heats at the threat in Tiberius’s voice. “But anything else will not happen. I was blackmailed into this agreement.”

Veronica laughs. “No one blackmails you! We are only engaged because it’s what you want.”

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