Page 40 of Savage Revenge

I shrug. “Yeah. It would have been a great move if she weren’t a stubborn brat. The woman won’t tell me shit, and she has a fucking mouth on her.”

His eyebrows raise as he studies me. “Do you think she knows something?”

“She says she doesn’t.”

“Do you believe her?”

“I don’t know what to believe, Carver. Hell, until I saw her in person, I thought she was a man. How the fuck is it possible that after all these years, I had no idea the other Kingston kid was a girl?”

Elliott gives me his easy-going, pretty-boy smile that I’m sure women love. “She’s hot as hell. Before I took over as CEO, I wasthe CFO, so I’ve been in a couple of meetings with her since she came back home and took over as their CFO. I gotta say, they’re always much more enjoyable when she’s there.”

I nearly launch toward the man I’ve known most of my life. He’s never been a friend, but he’s never been an enemy. If he keeps talking about Jordyn like that, though, I might kill him right here in his office with my bare hands.

“But I think you’ll hit a dead end with her. Jacob works closest with Kingston, so he’d be the one to get your hands on,” Elliott adds.

Everything in me wants to smash Carver’s face into the wall, but I take his change in direction instead.

“Isn’t Jordyn older? Why wouldn’t she work closely with him? She’ll get her shares of the business before Jacob.” My voice is on edge, and it takes every ounce of strength I have to hold myself together.

Elliott shrugs. “Kingston is old-fashioned. Doesn’t believe women are strong enough to run a company so I think he’s hoping she’ll work in hospitality or something. Can’t say I disagree. Especially in this business, you know? Women just can’t handle it.”

I stare at him, my expression hard, jaw clenched. Is he fucking serious right now?

This meeting went nothing like I expected. And now I think I have another enemy in Las Vegas for the simple reason that he’s clearly attracted to Jordyn and is a total bastard when it comes to his thoughts on gender roles.

“Thanks for the talk,” I say abruptly.

Carver blinks several times, surprised, then nods and leads me toward his office door.

“Good luck finding Kingston.” Elliott leans in and lowers his voice. “Are you really going to start a war?”

I pause in front of him, my gaze pinned to his. “Someone else already started the war, Carver. I’m just going to teach this city what happens when they touch what’s mine. Take care.”

I stride out of his office and the casino, my face a mask of calm as I get into the back seat of my SUV and wait for it to pull out onto Las Vegas Boulevard. My driver and security say nothing to me. They know me well enough to know not to. I’m on the verge of exploding, and it won’t take much for me to detonate.

Elliott Carver and his family have always been good people. I thought. But he took a little too much interest when I said Jordyn’s name. He fucking expressed interest in her. And for some reason, that feels unforgivable.

I flex my fists, willing myself to calm down before I do something I might regret. Like put a bullet in Elliott Carver’s forehead.

This is all too fucking much. If my dad were here, he would know how to handle it. He would know exactly what to do to get revenge. To protect our empire. But he’s gone, and I miss him so damn much.

Jordyn’s face floats through my mind, and it’s like a vise loosens around my chest. Despite the constant fighting, the past few days have been different. Having that woman in my home, around all my stuff. In some sort of fucked-up way, I know she’s mine, and that thought makes my dick throb.

I’ve always been a selfish bastard.

And it’s not going to change anytime soon.

It’sonly midnight when I get home and my mood is still shit. I’m so fucked up inside that I can barely see straight. I miss my dad. I’m failing my brothers. And worst of all, I think my judgment is clouded about Jordyn because of the overwhelming urges I have for her. Urges I have no business thinking about. Like keeping her. Possessing her.Owning her.I can’t change that they’re there. I’ve tried. Cold showers are getting old really quickly.

I ignore all the guards I pass. Having so much security in my house is another reminder that things are fucked up. I have a woman hostage, for fuck’s sake. One who is living like a damn princess from what I could tell when I checked the video footage on the way home.

I head straight to the living room, where she’s been for the past hour, watching a movie. Even though I saw her on the cameras, I’m not prepared for the in-person view when I enter.

Pink cotton shorts that barely cover her ass and a matching spaghetti strap tank with her perky nipples pressing against the fabric.

God is showing me no mercy. Yeah, my dad is having a good laugh at my expense right now.

She doesn’t even glance in my direction, though I know she feels my presence because her shoulders tense.

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