Page 21 of Reclaim (Deadly Hearts 3)

“You don’t want to join?”

I shrug. “Not really that interested.”

“Solitaire is very interested in you, Ruby.”

I pin his gaze with mine. “Like I said, not interested, and who gave you permission to use my first name?”

“Feisty. Just like your sister,” he drawls.

My senses ping violently. “How do you know my sister?”

“Scarlet and I are involved,” he replies blandly. “You would probably know that if you’d ring her once in a while.”

My nostrils flare with anger. “How dare you tell me how to deal with my own family. I’ve been busy and away,” I add, still feeling the need to explain myself.

Fucker.

He smirks. “None of my business, just pointing out why you don’t know about me yet. Anyway, you being here has piqued my interest. You and Adam. We’ve had our eye on him too.”

“So he’s in?” I ask, ready to end this and get out of here.

“With one condition,” he says. “You have to join too. The Manchester Sector, of course.”

“You mean we come as a pair?” I balk at that. “What happens if I refuse?”

“Then he doesn’t get in. Something tells me he would enjoy convincing you.”

It sends a shiver down my spine.

“He could try,” I mutter, then I sigh. “Non-negotiable?”

“Nope,” he says and goes back to his drink.

“Fine, whatever, anything to end this so I can go home.”

“You are a smart woman,” he says darkly.

Narrowing my eyes at him, I reply, “And you are a dangerous man. What is my sister doing with the likes of you? She is the good one.”

“That she is,” he murmurs. “Guess she sees some light in me.”

Well, I can’t argue with that. Scarlet has a way of seeing the best in everyone.

“Report to the Manchester Sector at your earliest convenience,” he says after a beat.

“Or what?” I grumble.

He laughs. “Don’t force me to make threats, Ruby. It’s unbecoming and I’m trying to be a better man.”

Gritting my teeth, I lean over and grab his lapel to his surprise. A security guard steps forward, but Maxwell holds his hand up to stop him from approaching. “Hurt my sister and you have me to deal with, got it?” I growl.

“You don’t have to worry about that. She is my everything.”

The sincerity of that last sentence makes me want to barf. “Ugh.” I let him go and stalk past him, gesturing for Adam to follow me.

“Well?” he asks.

“You’re in,” I reply curtly. “Seems you were on their radar. I’m guessing this is something you have to approach about, not be approached…” The menace of that situation gives me a ripple of excitement as well as fear.

What the fuck have I gotten myself into this time?

One good thing to have come out of this, though, is a kick up the backside to call my sister. She is involved in some shady business if she’s hooking up with Maxwell James. I wonder if she knows. I have to find out, but Vinnie has my phone, so it’ll have to wait until I get home and David can hook me up yet again, with a new one.

“Take me home. We have work to do,” I say and don’t wait for an answer as I stride out of the club and back to the Hummer, relieved to finally be going home. It’s only been a day, but it feels like a year.

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