Page 39 of The Billionaire's Rival (Bad Boy Billionaires)

Ford didn’t say anything as we walked. He lead me to a café, one I’d never been in before. This early in the morning, it wasn’t crowded. We found a table in a back corner where no one was within hearing distance.

“You’re in danger,” Ford said.

“No shit.”

“Worse than you might think.”

Worse than me spending thirty years of my life thinking I was straight, then falling for a man who wanted nothing from me but hate sex? “I’ve been threatened not to lose this suit, but I’ve also been told by you that your powerful client never loses, all while my grandmother could be dying, and I think I’m having some kind of breakdown.”

“You had hot sex with me. That is not a symptom of a breakdown.”

“Just tell me what the fuck is going on.”

“Your client has been targeted by a criminal organization that wants the warehouses her family owns for their…let’s call it an import business. That’s the real reason Miles wants this particular warehouse. It’s not really for him.”

“How do you know all this?”

Ford raised his brows. “Miles had sources you don’t want or need to know. These men pressured your client into refusing to sell, but Miles doesn’t want to let them get ahold of any property in the city. That’s the reason he won’t negotiate.”

“How is he involved in this?”

Ford shook his head. “That’s not important.”

“Really?”

“The only thing you need to know is that these men will kill you if you don’t give them what they want.”

“Great and you—the one person who could possibly help me with that—won’t negotiate. So, you’re basically telling me I’d dead.”

“No, I’m telling you I’m going to protect you.”

“What?” Was he really planning to help me? “You’re going to lose the suit on purpose?”

“No, I’m going to keep you safe.”

“How?”

“To start with, you’re going to stay with me until this is over.”

“Stay with you, like at your house?” This was crazy. “What are you going to do if they follow us there, hurl law books at them?”

Ford glared at me in way that made me shiver. Just how well did I know this man? “While many books from my personal law library could inflict serious damage, I know how to use much more effective weapons.”

“Are you about to tell me you’re some kind of spy? That would be just typical with the way my week is going?”

“I’m not a spy, but I’ve had reasons to need to protect myself. However, you won’t need to rely on those. Montgomery Enterprises’ security team will be taking care of us.”

“They’ll be taking care of me even though I’m representing Ms. Jenkins?”

“Yes. Miles’s lawsuit has put you in danger, so you’re our responsibility.”

“If they followed me to my apartment, they’ll follow me to your house too.”

“No, they’ll be misdirected. I doubt you grasp the extent of Miles’s ability to get things done.”

“So, what? He has people at his beck and call to rearrange the world however he wants it?”

Ford smiled. “More or less.”

---