Page 44 of Handsome Devil
I wasn’t sure why, but her mere name falling from other men’s lips made me want to kill them in a creative and highly torturous way that’d make the Ferrante brothers blush.
“Release her from this agreement.” Rhyland braced his arms over my desk. He had biceps the size of watermelons, but I could take him.
“No.” I stacked my feet on my desk. “She’s mine.”
“You blackmailed her, knowing she wouldn’t turn down an opportunity to help her mother.” Rhyland decided to state the fucking obvious.
“Shecame tomewanting to strike a deal,” I clarified. “We negotiated, and she accepted my terms. Not that I owe you any explanation.”
Row and Rhyland were each damaged in their own way. But me? I was ruined. Beyond redemption. A normal relationship was not in the cards for me.
“She is achild,” Row growled.
“She is twenty-six,” I snorted. “An adult in every single state.”
“You’re bullying awoman. A young woman who is here on a visa. Have you no limits?”
“None whatsoever,” I assured him. “I always collect my debt, regardless of gender, race, or creed.”
“That debt is about to pile up into a full-blown bankruptcy if you don’t let her go. You know La Vie en Rogue won’t survive without me.” Row grabbed the back of the leather chair in front of my desk, hulking over it. He wore a black bomber jacket and combat boots and looked every inch of the bad boy chef persona that earned him millions of dollars a year.
I doubted the asshole could flip a burger better than anyone else. He just looked good making food. “I’m the face of your restaurant.”
It was terribly cute, how he thought I gave a shit.
“Are you gonna let her go?”
“No. La Vie en Rogue is not even pocket change for me.” I flipped my pen between my fingers, itching to solve a few equations or tap my thigh rhythmically. “If you want to send your career up in flames, I won’t stop you. Hell, I might even bring some graham crackers and marshmallows to make some s’mores while you burn.”
Row’s eyes glowed with wrath. I guessed it was Rhyland’s turn to try to convince me to let Gia go. Was this their little attempt at playing good cop, bad cop?
“Look.” The good-looking motherfucker raised his palms in surrender. “Your business with Row is a little passion project, I get it. But you actually have a lot of stock in App-date.” App-date was his idiotic, albeit successful, dating app. “I’ll make sure the board turns on you if you don’t let her go. I’ll turn it into something very public and very ugly.”
I tipped my head back and laughed. “Go ahead. Bruce is going to annihilate you on my behalf if you mess up his business.” Bruce was his business partner and the man holding the almighty dollar of the operation. “There’s nothing you can do to sway me from a good business decision. And marrying Gia Bennett is a damn good investment.”
The two men shared a wordless glance.
“Tate…” Rhyland licked his lips.
I held my palm up. “You can go and tell your little wives you tried your best. I’ll confirm that statement. However, I’m not letting her go.”
“Why?” Rhyland pushed a hand into his blond mane, exasperated. “You always adhere to logic. Why not now?”
A question for the ages. Why Gia Bennett? Why not any other willing woman? They were practically waiting in line.
My brief marriages aside, I’d had plenty of cold arrangements with women before. Brilliant, classy, beautiful women.
I paid their rent and gave them monthly allowances. In return, they were available to me a few times a week, where I dropped by unannounced, bent them over the side of their couch, and fucked them mercilessly.
All of them would have gladly given me an heir.
Hell, some would have agreed to give me a kidney.
Why not them? Why my annoying secretary?
Because I want to keep her close. Because she is the last thing I have left ofhim.
Row shook his head. “You’re fucking obsessed with this woman.”
