again, you'll find out just how far you have pushed me."
"You need to understand. Men like East Hale are dangerous. You think I chewed you up and spat you out? All that money, all that power, imagine what he's going to do to you."
A laugh slipped out. "The joy of that is that even if I were dumb enough to get involved with anybody again, whether it was a man like East Hale or a bum off the street or the next Jack the Ripper, that would be for me to determine. Not you in your ivory tower, making your decisions and condemning me to them. No, I'm not here for that today. Or any other day for that matter. So I will be filing a harassment charge with HR, asking that they keep this matter private, but it will be on your permanent record. Come near me again, and it will be the end of your career.” I narrowed my eyes and glared. “Do I make myself clear?"
His brow furrowed, and he stared at me. "You’re making a mistake."
I tilted my chin to stare up directly into his eyes. "No. We are done. Your jealousy is your problem, not mine."
"Nyla—"
I marched to the door and yanked it open. “Out.”
For a long, horrid moment, I didn’t think he would comply. But the moment he did, I engaged all the locks and leaned back against the door, tears pricking at my eyes.
Make the call.
I didn’t want to make it, because I was scared about what was going to happen, but I made it anyway.
Before he could even mutter a greeting, I blurted out, “I need help. Can you please come?”
East
The git really was going to force my hand.
Belinda's husband tumbled out of the bar with his arm wrapped around a woman who was not his wife. They both swayed on their feet. When the woman tried to shimmy out of his grip, he grabbed her wrist hard and tugged her back to him. I almost stepped out of the shadows then. Luckily, some other drunk outside had a sense of right and wrong and called out, "Oi. That's no way to handle a lady."
Jack Lloyd was no gentleman though. "Mind your fucking business."
The woman tried to get free of his grip again. The other guy wasn't letting up. "Oi, I said that's no way to treat a lady. Let her go."
Lloyd, assessing the other bloke, shrugged and shoved the woman away from him. She stumbled, almost falling over, but the drunk caught her.
"It's not fucking worth it, mate."
I followed him. Knowing exactly where I needed to apply pressure to make him rethink his ways. Leave town for bit even. I knew exactly what needed to be done. Normally I watched from afar. It was easier. I'd threatened someone's money, their bank accounts. And they would ease up, level off. It was called leverage. But this guy? No. What he cared about was his "freedom." His ability to roam and drink and gamble. So I was going to have to restrict his movements. Or let him know that those gambling debts he'd racked up… that I was going to buy the debt and the debt had come due.
I had several options, depending on what he said. But alas, tonight wasn't going to be the night. Instead I got a phone call.
Nyla’s voice was still as husky as always, but there was a noted tremble in it. Then she said the words that I never thought I'd hear Nyla Kincade say to me of all people. "I need your help."
I abandoned Jack Lloyd right then as if I’d never even thought to stop him. Oh, I’d see him later. But at the moment, Nyla was my worry.
I knew where she lived, of course, but she gave me the address anyway. When I turned up to the block of row houses in Camberwell, I glanced around. This area of Vauxhall was established, quiet. Close enough to the tube and directly across from a parking garage where I’d placed my cameras in order to surveil her townhouse.
London Lords owned the development. There was a security gate with a doorman and a pretty courtyard with a community fountain. There was also a gym on the property.
Sooner or later she'd figure out how I watched her and cut off my access to her, but for now, she was letting the wolf inside the henhouse. I could've let myself into her flat, but considering how frightened she sounded,