Page 71 of His Property

Blade sighs. “She’s sorry, Victor.”

“She could’ve gotten me, my sister, and some innocent whore all killed.”

“Please.” Blade huffs. “You’re as much of a pet to Lorenzo as these tigers. If you weren’t untouchable, I would’ve killed you myself a long time ago.”

“You and I both know Lorenzo doesn’t make exceptions to those who break his rules.”

Blade looks to his right like he’s considering it, but he knows I’m right. He won’t admit it.

“But you didn’t break a rule, so it’s a moot point,” he says.

“It’s not a fucking moot point.”

“Okay.” Blade reluctantly nods in agreement. “Maybe it isn’t, but Emily isn’t the one who told Lorenzo. I did. She called me after she left your house and told me what she saw, and I’m the one who made the judgment call. So be pissed at me, not her.”

“I couldn’t give a shit about you, Blade.”

“But you care about Emily. I know you do. If you don’t want to talk to me, fine, but please talk to her. She feelshorriblyabout what happened and doesn’t deserve to be punished for my choices.”

I shove the cart at him, and he catches it with a glare.

“She knew what would happen when she called you,” I sneer.

“She panicked.”

“I don’t care.”

“Jesus, Victor, would youstop? You’re pushing everyone in your life away, and for what? So you can storm around here pissed off, acting like you're some sort of victim? Grow the fuck up.”

Everyonein my life?

I slowly walk around the cart and stop when I’m a foot away from Blade. He raises his brows and challenges me with the look in his eyes.

“What do you mean,everyonein my life?”

Blade’s face softens, and he looks away. When he looks back at me, he shrugs. “I just mean you seem to be distancing yourself.”

“Fromwho, Blade?”

“Fucking everyone.”

My nostrils flare, and my chest puffs while I stare at him and wait for him to tell me what I already suspect.

After a minute of a stare down, Blade sighs and takes a step back. He scratches the back of his neck. “Emily reached out to Mae so she could apologize.”

“And?”

“And Mae mentioned that you two hadn’t spoken in a while. Emily asked her to talk to you, and Mae said you didn’t want anything to do with her.”

“She’s a whore I paid to hang out in my basement for a few days. So what?”

Blade narrows his eyes. “Do you honestly believe I’m that stupid?”

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but yes, I believe you’re stupid.”

Blade’s eyes darken, and he lunges at me. I don’t see it coming, so it catches me by surprise, and he’s able to bunch my shirt in his hands and jerk me within an inch of him. He seethes and bares his teeth.

“Listen here, you little shit. I don’t give a fuck who you think you are or who you think owes you.Weare not friends. I swear to God, if you keep pushing, I’m going to forget my wife likes you.”

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