Page 14 of Doctor Grump

“I don’t care how you find it,” I responded, finding the man more aggravating the more he talked. “I need to talk to the lady.”

“So talk,” he said with a wave of his hand.

“Alone.”

“That’s not going to happen,” he responded. “Especially not since your last conversation with her had her in a bad mood this entire morning.”

Something resembling guilt pricked me. I glanced back at Piper. “That’s one of the reasons we need to talk.”

“About what?” Santiago probed, drawing my eyes back to him.

“Something that is none of your damn business.”

“I’m the fucking mayor. Everything in this town is my damn business.”

“Guys!” Piper suddenly put both of her hands up. “I’m still here, remember? You both can relax and put your swords away.” She sighed before turning to her companion. “Sorry, Santiago, but could you give us a few minutes? I’m sure this will be done and dealt with soon.” I was happy to see the smug look on the mayor’s face slip away as he frowned at Piper.

“You sure, Pipes?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure. I have some words of my own for him.” She sent me an aggravated sidelong look, but it wasn’t enough to subdue my feelings of victory.

Santiago sighed and looked at his watch. “I probably should be getting back to work anyway. Will you be okay getting home by yourself?”

“I’ll take her home," I said before Piper could reply. “Or wherever else she needs to go.”

Santiago pointedly ignored my statement, still waiting for Piper’s response. She nodded. “Yeah, Santiago, I should be fine. Don’t worry.”

He put his hand over hers and squeezed, and I nearly growled at the contact.

Damn it. I needed to get myself under control.

Santiago finally got his ass off the seat, but on his way out, he came to a stop right in front of me. I stood still, ready. We were about the same height, but I had a few pounds of muscle on the guy. Still, I had my doubts about whether or not I could take him in a fight. He looked like the type who wouldn’t fight fair in anything.

He also struck me as someone who lied as easily as he breathed, but that was another thing.

“I don’t like you, Graham,” he said, and it was said without his usual charming smile.

Finally, something honest.

“I don’t like you either,” I responded. “So I guess that’s something we can agree on.”

“Yeah,” Santiago said. “But if you say some more stupid shit and make my friend cry, I want you to know that I have the means to make life very difficult for you in this town.”

I smirked. I had been expecting this sooner or later. Rich, powerful men like Santiago always used their power to manipulate and get whatever they wanted.

But if he thought I was someone to be easily intimidated, he was sadly mistaken.

“I’d like to see you try, asshole,” I bit back.

Santiago smirked in response, and there was a hint of something resembling admiration in his gaze before he finally made his slow retreat from the room, finally leaving us alone.

I took the seat the mayor had vacated, facing Piper, who crossed her arms over her chest.

“So?” she voiced. “What do you want?” It was a tone devoid of its usual warmth and cheeriness, as flat a tone as I could imagine her having.

I decided to get right to the point. “What is your current occupation?”

She raised an eyebrow at me in disbelief. “You came all the way here and nearly caused a scene to ask me if I have a job?”

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