Brazen and Breathless (Untouchable #6) - Heather Long Page 0,41

you drag her into whatever sick little game you are playing. Buying her clothes. Trying to get her a car. Now you want to bring her to work here? She’s not a toy.”

“Are you quite finished?” Edward’s glacial stare had dropped several degrees. Well, well. I touched a nerve.

“Hardly. I want you to leave her alone.”

“I don’t care what you want.” Oh, there was just the barest hint of a snap in his tone. Definitely hit a nerve.

“Clearly, I’ve never entertained the illusions otherwise.” Not since I’d been a kid. “But you’re going to do this.”

“Or what?” he challenged. “I’m going to do what you want or what? Because let’s be clear, son, in business and in life, you don’t make a threat you’re not prepared to back up.”

I slugged him.

Verbal chess was our thing. We’d done it for years. But the smug superiority in his tone coupled with the smirk on his face, and I took that last little nugget he’d shared to heart. The blow landed on his jaw and caught him unawares as he toppled onto his ass. My knuckles screamed and my fist ached, but fuck that felt good.

“Great advice, Edward,” I told him with a stare of my own. “So let’s get a few things cleared up, shall we? You’re going to leave Frankie alone, or I’ll tear you a-fucking-part. I’ll come for you, for your company, and everything else you hold dear. You think I’m fucking with you?” I raised my brows. “Try me.”

Blood decorated his lip and began to run from his nose. He had a hand to his face, and I wasn’t sure if he was more startled or in pain. I actually didn’t give a shit which. I just wanted him to fucking listen.

“If I cut her loose from the internship,” Edward warned, “she might lose her place in the program. They’ve already placed all of them.”

“Then you just stay the fuck away from her if she’s here. Delegate it.” As fine as I would be if Frankie was out of that program, it wasn’t my damn decision to make. “You’re a damn expert at that.”

Slowly and warily, Edward rose to his feet. I admit, I enjoyed knocking him off his game almost as much as knocking him on his ass. “I’ll see what I can do.”

I nodded once, then pivoted and went to the door. But before I stepped out, I glanced back at him. “Don’t push me. You want to fight with me? You want to come after my shares in the company?” I didn’t flinch from his stare. “Fuck, you want to come after my trust fund? You come for me. I’ll take that fight, but you leave her out of this. Forget her name. Forget she exists. Run off into the sunset with Maddy, leave Frankie alone. This is the only warning I’m going to give you, and it’s a hell of a lot more than you deserve.”

I didn’t wait for his response to that and just left. I strode past his little fuckbuddy pouting at her desk and didn’t slow my pace. If I hesitated, even once, I’d walk back in there and punch him again. It felt really fucking good to hit him in his lying, arrogant face.

Anger seethed through me all the way to the elevator. Susan glanced up at me, and her smile faltered. Without a word, she held up the candy bar I’d brought her, and I shook my head. It took some effort to muster a smile, but I managed.

She sighed, then cast a glance back the way I’d come and then at me again. “Take care of yourself, Archie.”

“You, too,” I said as the elevator opened, and there, I got another smile out for her as the doors closed after I punched the lobby button. You needed a keycard to go up, but nothing to go down. Dropping my chin, I stared at my battered knuckles.

Frankie wouldn’t be happy with me. Fuck. I should have kept my cool.

Should have.

Would have.

Had.

So many times.

I wanted him out of her life before he fucked up everything. It was what he was good at.

Downstairs, I crossed the lobby and exited without a glance to anyone else. My car waited for me right out front. Perks of the last name. They existed, even if I could have wished I’d been born a generation earlier.

Course, then I wouldn’t have gotten to know Frankie, so maybe I could live with the shit lottery I won in getting