Page 55 of Broken Saint

"I'm good at what I do, and I already told you, I make it a habit to know the woman I am fucking."

My eyes grew wide with disbelief. Was he kidding me right now?

Ronin whistled long and low. "That might be true, but I'll bet Nova here just took offense to that. Right, honey?"

I didn't know which one to punch first.

"Get out. Both of you." I stood to storm out of the room and wobbled on my feet. Rock grabbed me to steady me and as soon as I had my bearings I jerked out of his grasp. "Let me go." When he didn't, I whirled on him. "If you know about my father, then you knew all along this thing between us could never work. So, what, you fucked me to get closer to my father?”

"Good girl," Ronin interjected.

"Seriously, shut up!" I screamed at Ronin. I'd had enough.

"I did come back here tonight with a plan to talk about your father. He's part of an important case I've been working on for a while. But I'm at an impasse, and I need your help."

Ronin snorted. I ignored him.

"I don't understand."

"Of course you do," Ronin interrupted again. "Agent Reed has been using you all along. He needed more information about your father, and what better place to get it than in the bed of his estranged daughter. Am I right?"

"What did you say?" Panic seized my chest.

"I'm sure I don't need to repeat myself, Nova darling. It can't come as that big of a shock that your lover boy has been playing you all along. The fact he got his dick wet while doing it made it a sweet deal if you ask me. Sex is a powerful weapon and using it for information is one hell of a great way of getting a job done. Did the idea not ever enter that pretty head of yours?"

If I wasn't about to be sick, I would have punched Ronin in the mouth. I didn't care how dangerous he was. I could only take so much.

"Shut the fuck up," Rock growled, taking several steps in Ronin's direction. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't I though? You don't intend to deny the truth, do you? I thought you were a Boy Scout. Scouts don't lie."

Rock lunged at Ronin, catching him in the jaw with a fast right hook. Despite what looked like a painful punch, Ronin turned back around with a smile on his face.

"Guess I hit a nerve. Although if you touch me again, I'll carve my name into your fucking forehead. See what your Fed buddies think then when they realize who owns you." The venom that dripped from Ronin's words sent a sharp chill down my spine. I didn't doubt for a second he would do exactly what he threatened.

"Look." I said, stepping between both men. "That's enough. Rock, I think it's time for you to go."

"No," he said simply, his face looking as ominous as Ronin's words. "I'm not leaving until we hash this out. I didn't get involved with you because of your father. I should not have gotten involved with you because of him. But our investigation into some missing diamonds has resulted in one roadblock after another, and now I need your help.”

"Diamonds you say? That's what this is about? Or should I say that's what I'm worth to you?"

"No, I don't think—"

"You're right, you don't think. But if that's all that matters to you, and it gets you out of my life, then fine." I threw the washcloth down on a nearby table and I stomped out of the room and straight to the safe on my wall. If he wanted diamonds, I'd give them to him. The fucking bastard could take them and go. They were turning out to be more trouble than they were worth.

Rock followed me. “Nova, what are you doing?"

"Getting you what you want." I reached inside the safe and pulled out the black velvet pouch. What I'd thought would be my saving grace had turned into my worst nightmare. My father was never going to negotiate with me. He hated me.

I fought back the tears threatening to fall. I would not give either of these men the satisfaction of making me cry.

"What the hell does that mean?"

I took a slow breath and then turned to him, my face a mask of emotionless stone. Later, I would cry and wail and throw some sort of insane fit, but for now, I would feel nothing. Other than relief to watch him go. "You want my father's blood diamonds, right?"

"Well, yeah. But I don’t under—"

I threw the pouch as hard as I could at him. He didn't even make a move to catch them. They caught him square in the middle of his chest and crashed to the floor. "Then take them!" I screamed. "Take them and get the fuck out." I fell to the floor and landed on my hands and knees. I couldn't even hold myself up anymore. It was too much.

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