Page 29 of Claimed By A Blue Eyed Menace

She arched a brow. “You know who my father is,” I smirked at her response, taking a slow sip of my drink. Parker exhaled, shifting slightly. “I think you like thinking you can impress me with all this money shit.”

I tilted my head, setting my glass down. “Nah. You come from money. If I wanted to impress you, I’d be doin' somethin' else entirely.”

Her lips parted slightly, but she quickly recovered, sitting up straighter. “Like what?”

I let the silence stretch between us, letting her feel my gaze on her, the weight of my attention. She swallowed, and I knew I had her. “You still thinkin' about last night, huh?” I asked, my voice lower now.

She tensed for half a second before scoffing. “No.”

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “Lyin’ ain’t a good look on you.”

Her jaw clenched. “I don’t think about things that don’t matter.”

I grinned, slow and knowing. “So if I kissed you right now, you wouldn’t feel a thing?” Her lips parted, but no sound came out. She blinked rapidly, like she was trying to think of a comeback but coming up empty. I chuckled. “Thought so.”

She sucked her teeth, grabbing a bottle of water from the small fridge near her seat. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing, Shooter, but you’re not—”

“Not what?” I cut her off, still watching her like a hawk.

She let out an exasperated breath. “Not getting in my head.”

I just smiled. “Baby, I been there.”

She shot me a glare before twisting the cap off her water and taking a sip, trying to act like my words hadn’t gotten to her. But I knew better.

We rode in silence for a while, the tension thick in the air. Every now and then, she’d shift, cross her legs, and adjust the way her dress fell over her thighs. And every damn time, I clocked it. She was feeling this just as much as I was. She just didn’t wanna admit it.

I let her sit in it, let her mind wander, let her frustration simmer while I finished my drink. I wasn’t gonna rush it. She wanted to play hard to get? Fine. But I was gonna keep her right on the edge, wanting more, until she broke first.

After about an hour, the pilot’s voice crackled over the speakers, announcing our descent. Parker exhaled, checking her reflection in her phone camera. “So, who exactly are we meeting?”

I leaned back, watching her. “A supplier. Big player. He moves heavy weight in both drugs and artillery. We make a deal tonight, and my crew is set for the next couple years.” The jet touched down smoothly on a private strip, and as the doors opened, I stood and straightened my tie. Parker watched me, something unreadable in her gaze. I held out a hand. “You comin' or what?” She hesitated for half a second before sliding her fingers into mine. I grinned. “Good girl.”

She pulled her hand away instantly, scowling. “Don’t push it.”

I just chuckled, leading her off the jet. The night was just getting started.

The ride to the supplier’s estate was smooth, quiet, and wrapped in a thick layer of tension that was becoming a familiar thing between me and Parker. The limo’s interior was all black leather and dark-tinted windows, with a chilled bottle of champagne in a silver ice bucket. Parker hadn’t said much since we stepped off the jet. She kept her legs crossed, fingers idly toying with the gold diamond bracelet on her wrist. She was lost in thought, but I knew her well enough by now to know what was going through her head.

She was still thinking about that jet ride and about the words I’d said that got under her skin. Good. I let her sit with it, just watching her as the limo cut through the winding road up the hill toward the estate. I knew the moment she saw the house because she straightened up, those pretty brown eyes widening just a little.

The supplier wasn’t just rich. He was old rich. His estate sat high on the hill like a king’s castle, overlooking the city lights below. It was the type of place you only got if you had power, connections, and a lifetime of making the right kind of enemies. The long driveway was lined with towering palm trees, leading up to a mansion that looked like something out of a damn movie—Mediterranean-style architecture, massive double doors, and warm golden lighting spilling from tall windows.

The limo slowed to a stop at the circular driveway. As soon as we stepped out, two heavily armed guards were waiting at the entrance. Both were big, dressed in all black, their gazes sharp as they took us in.

“Sir, we’ll need to check you for weapons,” one of them said, voice clipped and professional.

I didn’t move. My grip on Parker’s lower back tightened slightly as I leveled the guard with a slow, easy smirk. “That’s not happenin’.” The two men exchanged a glance. One of them shifted slightly, already prepared to escalate the situation.

Before anything could pop off, the mansion doors swung open, and the man of the hour stepped out. The supplier, Vincenzo Ricci, was a man who’d built an empire long before I ever came into this game. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in an all-black suit, his salt-and-pepper hair slicked back. He had two stunning women draped on his arms—one blonde, one brunette, both of them dressed in expensive silk dresses with diamonds shining at their throats.

“Ah, Sebastian,” Vincenzo greeted, his deep voice carrying over the tension-filled air. “I see my men are being a little overzealous.” The guards instantly stepped back, lowering their hands. He smirked, eyeing me with something like amusement. “Come in and bring your lovely wife.” Parker stiffened beside me for half a second at the word wife, but she didn’t correct him.

Inside, the mansion was even more impressive. High ceilings, grand chandeliers, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a marble courtyard with a fountain in the center. Expensive art lined the walls, and the scent of something rich and seasoned filled the air.

Dinner was already set in the massive dining hall. A long table covered in fine china and gold-rimmed glasses. Vincenzo motioned for us to sit, taking his own seat at the head of the table while the two women on his arm took the seats beside him.

Parker sat beside me, her posture poised and elegant, playing her role perfectly. I let my hand rest on her thigh under the table, feeling the way she tensed before forcing herself to relax. Wait staff moved swiftly, pouring wine and serving dishes that looked like something straight out of a five-star restaurant. I wasn’t here to eat, though. I was here to talk business.

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