Page 54 of Dash

“I don’t have a choice.” The lines around her mouth deepened, emphasizing her age. “I’m close to retirement, and I need this job. Mr. Dagger has assigned me lots of tasks, but he doesn’t trust me. He didn’t even allow me to come to see you at the hospital.”

“Same here,” Paolo volunteered. “Did he deliver the chicken soup I made for you?”

“Sure, yes, it was delicious.” The soup had never made it to my place, but I wasn’t surprised. “Thanks, Paolo. It was lovely of you to think of me.”

“Uh-oh.” Monique’s eyebrows spiked on her forehead.

“What is it?” I read the alarm on her face.

“Look who’s abandoned his ship in the Riviera to be here.”

“Who?” I turned to watch the crowd.

“Your pesky suitor,” Monique said. “Not the one who got away but rather the one who won’t go away.”

I turned my head and watched Alexander LeBlanc advancing. Tall, tanned, and wearing a tux and a crisp white shirt that set off the glare of his super bleached teeth, he sported a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. My lungs deflated.

Damn. Not tonight.

“Is it true?” He took my elbow and pretty much dragged me away from the others. “Is it true you’re no longer the Astor heir?”

“Excuse me?” I tried to snatch my arm from his hold, but he didn’t let go. “Why are you upset?”

“The newspapers,” he said. “They’ve reported that some son of a bitch named Dashiell Dagger has inherited everything.”

“It’s true.” Dash materialized before us. “I’m the son of a bitch who inherited everything. Now, take your hands off Thena. If you ever touch her again, you and I are gonna have a serious problem.”

One moment Dash had been across the room. Now he braced his feet next to me, with his cane firmly planted on the floor and his ferocious glare fixed on Alexander. The latter paled and squirmed like a worm under Dash’s appraisal, but he let go of me. Rubbing my arm, I looked from one man to the other, sensing the tension between them.

Like the annoying socialite chameleon he was, Alexander changed his tune and widened his toothpaste commercial smile. “Alexander LeBlanc.” He offered his hand. “At your service.”

“I know who you are.” Dash didn’t bother to shake with the man. “Leave, now.”

“I need a moment of your time.” Alexander gestured toward the bar. “Let’s have a drink.”

“I’m not thirsty.” Dash put his hand on the small of my back. “Let’s go.”

“Wait.” Alexander blocked our path. “If you know who I am, then you also know I’m well-connected. I can be helpful to you, as long as you continue to abide by my agreement with Richard Astor.”

Dash rolled his eyes and took in a resigned breath. “You had to mention the fucking agreement.”

“What agreement?” I asked, instantly curious.

Neither man answered my question. This only increased my curiosity and got my stomach churning.

“My answer is no,” Dash bit out. “It will continue to be no.Now, move out of my way.”

“Hang on.” I considered Alexander’s odd behavior. “I’d like to know about this agreement you had with my father.”

Alexander looked away. My stomach clenched. I had a bad feeling about this.

“Please.” I turned to Dash. “Tell me the truth.”

His eyes softened as they fell on me. “Will you allow me to spare you the ugly details?”

“No.”

“As you wish.” Dash redirected his stare to the other man. When he spoke next, his voice came out harsh and cutting like shards of steel. “LeBlanc here struck a deal with your father. I came across the so-called ‘contract’ and the bank transaction as I reviewed the company’s ledgers. Your father agreed to pay him one hundred thousand dollars each time you went on a date with him.”

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