Page 85 of Secret Shifters Next Door

Harley was still on edge, but I’d actually grown calmer and less tense. In my opinion, not only had Emily saved Harley’s life, she’d also scared the hunters off for even longer than most of the others thought. I’d told them I thought they’d be gone for a couple of months, but deep down, I thought it would be even longer. The spell that had stopped the bullet had probably scared the shit out of them. They hadn’t known about that, which gave them something else to consider. The hunters would have no idea what other spells or curses Emily might have cast before she died. There were no others, as far as I knew, buttheydidn’t know that. They would be like dust in the wind for a while. Maybe even years.

When I voiced that thought to Harley, she said, “They’ll still be back. Aren’t you worried?”

I shook my head. “I can’t be worried forever. I truly think that, for now at least, the danger is gone.”

That night in bed, I told her about the job I had to take care of, hiding the truth as much as I could. “I’ve got to fly out tomorrow. I’ve got a thing I’ve been putting off. Should only be gone a day or two.”

She looked at me, and I could feel that strange connection we had now. There was the weirdest thought that she knew I was hiding something, but she could also tell it was important and not to push. She nodded. “Okay. Be careful. That’s all I ask.”

Before we fell asleep, I whispered, “Don’t worry. Nothing is going to keep me away from you for long.”

The next afternoon I landed at La Guardia Airport. I’d only brought a single backpack for the trip. I hadn’t been lying when I said I’d only be gone a couple of days. I took a taxi to The Plaza Hotel. On the ride, I pulled out my phone and dialed the number Blayne had been able to dig up for me.

It only rang one time before there was an answer. “This is Luis, who the hell is this?”

“Ortiz?” I asked.

A long moment of silence filtered over the line before Luis said, “Oh, if it isn’t the homewrecker. How are you doing, cocksucker? Has Harley dumped you yet? Did you call to let me know she was on the way back to me?”

“I want to meet. You name the place. We need to get things settled,” I said, not rising to his insults.

“Brass balls on this one. Okay, we can do this,” he said and then gave me an address near the docks in Hell’s Kitchen.

“When? I can be there in two hours.”

“Be there in an hour. Otherwise it’s off.” He hung up without waiting for an answer.

I’d let him choose the location because it would give him a false sense of security. He’d think he had the upper hand. Heand his men would be sloppy and unprepared. Harley’s last few months of pregnancy should be as stress-free as possible. This trip would ensure that. I leaned forward and tapped the glass, getting the cabbie’s attention. I gave him the new address and sat back to enjoy the ride.

I got to the location twenty minutes early. I had the taxi drop me off a few blocks away and walked the rest of the way, scoping out each alley and around every corner. I didn’t think they’d have anyone out this far to intercept me, but I wanted to cover all my bases. The spot was what had once been a warehouse—right on the waterfront that looked like it had been bought and renovated into some high price condos and penthouses. There was a doorman at the entrance. My trained eye could see the bulge of a pistol beneath his suit jacket.

He saw me walking up and said, “Are you Mr. Mills?”

I nodded. “I have an appointment with your employer. Ortiz.”

The man glared. “That’sMr.Ortiz to you.”

I gazed nonchalantly into the guy’s eyes. “Are you gonna take me to him or not?”

“You’re an arrogant bitch, ain’t you? He told me about you. Arms up, I gotta pat you down.”

I did as he asked. He rifled through my backpack, only finding a single change of clothes and some folders and papers. He opened the door and led me to the elevators, where he pushed the button for the top floor.

As the door closed, he grinned at me. “See you soon.”

On the ride up, I pulled the folder out of my backpack and tucked it under my arm. When the door opened, I set my bag on the ground just outside the door. The penthouse was beyond gaudy. It was like Ortiz had eaten all his money and then shat it out all over the place. Zebra-skin rug, gold-trimmed lights, original oil paintings that didn’t match or make sense in thespace. It was what a child would do to try andprovehe was rich. Ortiz would have been better served if he’d thrown a bit of his money at a good interior designer.

I rounded the corner and found myself in what I had to assume was the living room. Ortiz sat on an armchair in front of a massive gas fireplace. Two large muscle-heads flanked him. Another three guys stood or lounged around the room. They all had the affectation of being wholly unconcerned that I was there, but I could smell the anxiety and excitement coming off them. They were ready for a fight and looking forward to it.

Ortiz adjusted himself and grabbed a glass of what looked like whiskey off the table beside his chair. It was hard not to think he’d chosen that chair because it looked a little like a throne. I stifled an eye roll as I stopped ten feet away and stared him down.

Luis looked around at his men. “This, my friends, is the guy who decided he could shove his cock into my woman.” He took a sip of his drink and then gestured around the room. “How can you give Harley a life half as good as this?”

I snorted. “What? This gold-plated trailer park? You don’t know shit about Harley. Material things like this don’t mean shit to her. And neither do you.”

Luis smiled even more broadly, but I could tell I’d pissed him off. “Very funny. Very funny.” He looked at the men to his left and right. “Didn’t I tell you? Bowling balls between his legs. Well, courage can sometimes be confused with stupidity. I’ll still give you props for having the guts to do this like a man. Much more commendable than waiting for me to sneak up behind you and put a bullet in your head.”

I gritted my teeth. “Is that what you did to Harley’s husband?”

---