Page 60 of Say I Do

“If you missed me, you know you can always visit,” Qiang said. He took a seat, stepping on his men on his way over to the couch. “Put the guns down. My favorite pet wouldn’t dare bite me.” He grinned. “Again.”

My stomach turned. Benito was listening in on this.

“Don’t count on it. I stopped being yours years ago.” I glanced pointedly at the ugly scar on his neck. It traveled down from the edge of his jawline to the top of his shoulder. I’d been the one to do it, and if I’d had the balls back, then I would have ended him.

Qiang touched it as he smiled at me.

Fuck, I hated when he smiled. It made my skin crawl and brought on the unbearable need to claw at my own flesh.

“I don’t know if you ever stopped.” Qiang snapped his fingers, and one of his guys moved forward. “You won’t mind being searched, would you?”

“Thought you weren’t worried about me killing you.”

Qiang shrugged. “What can I say? No one can ever be too careful around you.”

I laughed; it was devoid of any humor. I wanted out of there the moment I saw him. The high after beating his men to an inch of their lives was quickly fleeing.

“I mind. I’m a busy man, and if my fiancé ever found out I stripped in front of another man, he’d start a war.” Didn’t know if that was true, but Benito hadn’t even liked Tony buying me panties.

“Oh, that’s right. I heard Denji was dabbling in new avenues, grabbing more power. You’re involved with Cesare Vitale’s spawn.” Qiang looked down his nose at me. “How is it roughing it with scum? I’m sure you like it. Youarebest on the ground.”

I swallowed back my anger. He wasn’t going to get shit from me.

Qiang switched to Chinese as he continued to speak. “You’ve grown soft.”

Hardly. I looked at the men desperately clinging to life on the floor.

Qiang chuckled as if I’d told a joke. “You’re like a kitten who has been declawed.”

I wasn’t something so weak. Him comparing me to a defenseless animal only made me feel like my back was pressed against the wall.

As I said nothing, he finally asked the question I needed. “What do you want?”

I didn’t want to give in, but Qiang could either be useful or a pain in my ass. He was the only reason I knew Chinese. I hadn’t had a choice back then. As much as I pretended like I couldn’t remember how to speak Mandarin, I couldn’t pretend with him. However, I also knew better than to give in to his games. If I was going to show that it was worth letting me out of the house, I needed to give Benito something.

“Information,” I said in English.

Qiang sighed, switching to English as well. “You boys leave.”

“Yes, sir.” They stepped out, leaving the two of us.

“This is a lot of work to come talk to me. I’m guessing it has to do with the Vitales?”

“Do you know anything?” I bit out.

“What are you going to give me for the information?” Qiang’s gaze traveled down my body in a familiar disgusting way. “You still remember everything I taught you?”

I swallowed back bile as I stood up and slipped my hand into my pocket. I needed to end this call.

Could I go through with it?Letting Qiang touch me was the one thing I vowed I’d never voluntarily allow. But this all felt different. I wasn’t there for myself. My stomach burned, and I badly wanted to run.If I do this, then no one needs to know about it. Quincy is going to kill me.

“Dep—”

The door opened, and one of his men poked his head in. “Sir, your three o’clock is here.”

Qiang groaned as he stood buttoning his suit jacket back up. “You can owe me a favor.”

I couldn’t spend time in his company. I knew I was ready to do whatever needed to be done moments ago, but I was ready to stab him in the chest and run.

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