Page 105 of Dirty Damage

It’s a threat.

And just like that, the bastard has me exactly where he wants me.

I haven’t heard from Sydney since the day she called to ask me about my engagement and I hung up on her. I’ve been too busy to think too much about why she hasn’t reached out again, but silence from her is never a good sign.

Usually, it means she’s going through it with Paul. I doubt this time is any different.

“Have you heard from her?” I can’t quite stop myself from asking the question, and I hate myself for it when a smile spreads across Drew’s face.

That smile used to melt me. Now, I know better.

It also doesn’t hurt that the full effect is lost in the rapid swelling of his nose. Whoever decked him, I’d like to shake their hand. I wish it had been me.

Then he reaches into his hoodie pocket and pulls out a small, black phone. A burner. Old school. Untraceable, I’m sure.

“Take this and I’ll let you know.”

I stare at the phone like it might bite me. It probably will, in the end.

“What’s the catch?” I ask, because there’s always a catch with Drew. Always strings attached, always a price to pay.

He has the audacity to look wounded. “Can’t a guy do his ex a favor?”

“A guy? Sure. You? Never.”

“Maybe I’ve changed.”

“And maybe I’ll sprout wings and fly to the moon.”

But my eyes keep drifting to the phone. To the lifeline it represents. To Sydney.

Sweet, beautiful, disaster-magnet Sydney.

My sister, my protector, my constant source of worry.

Drew is a lot of things—mostly terrible—but he paid attention. He knows all of that. He knows Sydney is my weakness, and he knows that no matter how much I want to walk away from him and this offer…

… I can’t.

“If you’re worried about your plan to shake down the Beast, don’t be. I won’t tell—as long as you share some of his millions with me.”

I blink up to him, beyond confused. Mostly because I can’t imagine anyone having the power to “shake down” Oleg Pavlov.

“Excuse me?”

“Come on, Sut. The sexy photoshoot that ‘leaked’ to the company chat, the shotgun engagement… It adds up.”

“Not to me. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

He rolls his eyes. “Don’t bother lying to me. I respect the hustle, babe. I mean, why else would you tie yourself to that scarred monster unless he’s paying you boatloads?”

Because he’s ten times the man you’ll ever be.

As much as I want to throw those words in Drew’s face, I don’t. My loyalty to Oleg is just another thing he could use against me later.

“I don’t need any help from you, Drew. Not now, not ever.”

Drew dangles the phone between us. “Last chance, sunshine. I’m wheels up to Vegas tonight.”

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