Page 56 of Claim

“I’m here to deliver a message.”

He wiped his face on his sleeve and then scanned me up and down. “You’re no messenger wearing a suit worth more than ten grand.”

At least I could give it to him that he knew custom-designed clothing.

“Oh, but I am.” I stepped closer to him. “How did your show go the other day?”

“I knew it. That bitch did it.” He clenched his jaw.

“Do you want to elaborate on what you know? And referring to women in such a manner isn’t something I appreciate hearing.”

“Her family sent you. Didn’t they?”

“Let’s get more specific.”

“Fucking Morelli. That whore. Does she have any idea how much she cost me?”

I grabbed him by the shirt, hurling him forward. “What makes you believe anyone named Morelli sent me? From what I hear, you don’t understand the meaning of consent.”

He clung to my wrist and shoved against my hold, but his strength was no match for mine. For a man near my height and build, the drugs and party lifestyle made him weak.

He wasn’t so tough when it came to someone his own size. However, he had plenty of strength against those smaller than him, especially defenseless women.

“What the hell did she tell you? She fucking spread her legs the minute she saw me. She wanted to be in the limelight. That’s how they all are. You don’t know the industry. I do.”

A rage like nothing I’d experienced before boiled inside me. The visions of ripping this asshole’s head from his body inundated my mind.

How dare this piece of shit soil her name in this way.

I lifted him by the throat, nearly cutting off his air supply. “You like to slut shame women into complying with your demands. That makes you a pathetic asshole in my book. I looked you up. What happened when you were in high school?”

“None of it is true. The judge dismissed the case.” He gasped and whimpered.

Because Daddy had it expunged, and then they destroyed the family of the girl who’d brought allegations against him.

Families like the Randolphs mistakenly believed they could cover up crimes because of their wealth. They forgot buying off the families never cleared memories of former employees, bank or hospital records, or local gossip.

When Sophia divulged her story, I knew Keith Randolph hadn’t started his predatory behavior once he moved to New York City to become a designer. Minutes after Sophia left me to sleep, I’d called my private investigator to gather information. By morning, he’d given me more than I expected.

“Her brothers retaliated and left you in the hospital. But you never revealed the attackers because they found a video you kept as a souvenir of your assault on their sister.” I leaned forward. “Your father paid them off to keep said recording from going public. Or is that not true either?”

Fear entered his eyes as well as comprehension.

“How did you find any of this out?”

I narrowed my gaze. “You’re worried about how I found out and not the fact I am going to end you?”

“Who are you?”

“You touched someone recently, didn’t you? Maybe I’m her brother. Did you consider that?”

He shook his head in confusion. “Alice only has sisters. It’s that fucking cunt, Morelli. I know it. Her family is the only one capable of this.”

I slammed the bastard into a nearby wall, making him scream as his head jarred against the plaster.

“Never. And I mean, never refer to Sophia or any female in that manner again. Did you or did you not corner an innocent seventeen-year-old girl in a bathroom three days ago?”

“I… I…”

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