Page 69 of Heartless Enemy

Yes, it was. When I had found out that the guy was in his sixties, I had realized that he was too old to start all over again and build up a new business, which meant that he would have been reluctant to sell. I could have threatened him into selling, of course. But I didn’t want to. He was one of mine now. They wereallmine now.

Every business on the entire south side paid a portion of their earnings to me now, and I would hold up my end of that bargain too. To make sure that they could continue plying their trade in peace. So threatening someone into selling and then leaving him unable to set up another business was out of the question. Which was why the offer I had made him would make sure that he could live comfortably for the rest of his life without having to work.

I kept an expression of casual power on my face as I said, “So, do we have a deal?”

From two steps away, I could feel Eve tense up. She wanted this. Badly.

The tavern owner glanced down at the contract again, as if to make sure that it was in fact real. Then he looked up again, and a smile spread across his lips.

“Yes, we have a deal indeed, Mr. Arden,” he said. Tears lined his eyes as he held the paper closer to his chest and whispered, almost as if to himself, “I can’t believe I’ll be able toretire. My grandkids are going to be so happy.”

I wanted to smile, but I had a reputation to uphold, so I kept that mask of nonchalant power on my face as I pulled out a pen and a second identical contract and slid them to him. “Then sign the contract.”

He hurriedly put the paper he had been clutching back onto the wooden counter, and then grabbed the pen. Without even checking to make sure that the second contract was identical to the first, he signed them both.

Thatsurprised me so much that I barely managed to suppress the shock that threatened to flash across my features.

I knew that people feared me, and that they took great care not to offend me. And I knew that they were aware of my reputation as someone who upheld his end of the bargain. But to have someone just blindly trust me without even checking to make sure that the bargain they were about to sign was the right one… It made a strange sensation flow through my chest. I had always seen myself as the villain of the story. But perhaps not everyone saw me that way.

Once he had signed it, he handed the second contract back to me, along with the pen. I folded the paper and slid it back into my pocket before holding out my hand. The former tavern owner clasped it, a wide smile on his lips.

From the edge of the counter, Eve released a long breath, as if she had forgotten to breathe for several minutes.

The tavern owner turned towards her. “I assume that you are…” He glanced down at the name written on the contract he had just signed. “Eve Sterling?”

She started slightly. “Uhm, yes.”

“Congratulations on your new tavern. It really is a marvelous building. I’ll show you all the ins and outs of it in a moment,” he offered, clearly not aware of the fact that Eve probably knew this entire place like the back of her hand. “But first, I have an announcement to make.”

While he began climbing up onto the bar itself, Eve moved over so that she was standing next to me. The patrons laughed and called out questions about what the old man was doing as he worked to get himself into a standing position.

“You putmy nameon the contract?” Eve asked as she stared back at me.

“Of course.” I shrugged. “You said that you wanted something that was yours.”

“Yes, but… you paid for it. With your money.”

“My money is your money. And in case you hadn’t noticed, we’re very rich.”

She let out a surprised chuckle.

I smiled while reaching out and hooking a loose curl behind her ear. “And besides, this tavern is your birthright. It has always been yours. I’m just helping to return it to its proper owner.”

A warm smile spread across her lips. It was joined by a mischievous twinkle in her eyes as she said, “Hmm. I might have to stop referring to you as an arrogant domineering asshole now.”

“Oh?” I flashed her a sly smile. “Then I suppose I will have to remind you why you call me that.” My fingers trailed lightly over her throat, drawing a shudder from her. “Tonight. In bed.”

Her eyes lit up with dark desire.

But before she could retort, the former tavern owner had finally managed to get to his feet on top of the sturdy counter.

“Oh quiet down, you,” he called at his hooting patrons. “If you only knew how many tables I’ve danced on in my life, you wouldn’t look so worried now.”

Laughter rippled through the packed tavern.

The old man placed his hands on his hips and rolled them with surprising agility. “See! I’ve still got it.”

Several people hollered and catcalled while another wave of wonderful laughter surged through the warm room. It was getting increasingly difficult to keep a smile off my face, so in order to keep the hard and powerful expression on my features, I forced my mind back to our plan for a moment.

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