Page 135 of Ruthless Heir

This guy really doesn’t give up. “No. Asher and I have dinner plans.”

“You know what?”

“What?”

“I feel that you can do a whole lot better than dear old Asher. I worry about him and that temper of his. You need someone more sophisticated. Someone like me.”

What a snake.

Since Asher told me about Nolan it’s occurred to me that Nolan might have been trying to break us up. If he did so at this stage, Portia would be Asher’s only option.

“I’m very satisfied with my man, thank you very much.” I smile back at him.

“Okay. But if ever you becomeunsatisfiedyou know where to find me.”

I don’t answer.

His gaze flicks down to the report but because it’s just a list of names there’s no way he’d know I singled out the one that mattered most.

Unless I outright told him I doubt he’d figure out that I noticed anything wrong anyway, because I’m me. The violin-playing college student who’s dating Asher and working for him part time.

“I needed to drop these off. Layla is expecting them.” Nolan hands me the manilla envelope he’s carrying.

“Thank you.” I accept the envelope and place it beside the file.

“See you later.” Nolan steps back.

“See you.”

He backs away then walks out the door. I release the breath I’m holding and glance back at Benjamin Deffort’s name on the file.

I need to tell Asher.

Even if everything is okay, this man worked with Nick. It’s guaranteed that something is wrongsomewhere.

Because Nick was the devil.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Asher

“Benjamin Deffort is a fucking fraud broker and a con man,” I say to Hunter with a triumphant smile on my face.

We’re in my office. I arrived at the office early just so we could talk.

I point to the listing Harper showed me on Nolan’s report and hold up a file I got from Jericho last night after I asked him to check things out.

“No fucking way.” Hunter leans forward with his mouth open in shock as he scans the document. “Looks like this guy has worked with Nigel and Nolan for over a decade.”

“Twenty years,” I clarify. “More importantly, I now have the shit to take that motherfucker down. Jericho confirmed the checks we got from Benjamin Deffort are for another company. He has an elaborate system set up that he accesses when he needs to be verified. That’s why our systems and analysts didn’t pick up anything untoward. Jericho was able to bypass all that.”

“I don’t believe this.” Hunter frowns.

“I do, and there’s more. Jericho found Benjamin Deffort’s name linked to all sorts of cartel and mafia shit. He seems to be their go-to guy when they need to cover up their shady deals.”

“How in the hell did Harper recognize this guy’s name?”

“Nick.” I was as shocked as Hunter when Harper told me, but the instant she mentioned Nick’s name I understood.

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