the door when I asked, “You got your kit?”
Tapping his suit jacket, he smiled with an edge of anticipation. “Always.”
I lifted my chin. “Have it ready to go. Worse case, he takes a nap and we take a field trip to The Basement.”
Ash’s smile grew into a grin—the sick bastard. “There’s always hope.”
He left, and I leaned back in my chair to watch the cameras, switching them to follow their progress until they were inside. I shut off the monitors and checked my texts.
Cole: Rental. Give me a few, I should be able to find out who rented it.
That’s not good.
I set my phone down just as Ash opened the door. Stepping aside, he let our mystery guest in before leaving and closing it behind him.
I didn’t recognize the man, not even a flicker of familiarity. He was around my age, but the years hadn’t been kind. He had gray in his brown hair and his face was scarred from a life hard lived. His gaze was set in a glare as he scanned the room.
In Juliet’s words, he looked like a ‘goon’.
“Thanks for seeing me.” His tone held a sharp edge as he offered me his hand.
I didn’t take it, and he didn’t look surprised. “You didn’t leave me much choice.”
Despite my lack of invitation, he took a seat. “Sorry about that, but we felt it was best to talk in private.”
“We? Do you have a mouse in your pocket?”
He smirked. “My partner and me.”
Bullshit. It’s his boss calling the shots and he’s an errand boy dressed up to look like a somebody.
“And who is your partner?” I asked.
“I’d rather not say.”
His boss told him not to say.
Talking in circles and coded bullshit lost its luster fast. “Tell me why you’re here.”
Unlike me, he wasn’t annoyed. He enjoyed feeling like a big man. “We have something you want.”
“And that is?”
“Mugsy Carmichael’s location.”
It could’ve been a bluff. I hadn’t been subtle about making it known I wanted Carmichael.
His eyes traveled the room before landing on me again. “And we’ll give him to you, delivered with a bow.”
“In exchange for what?”
“Giving our boxers a shot in your circuit.” He raised a brow, the implication heavy. “Either one.”
Coming to my home uninvited and making demands was stupid and shortsighted.
Following that up with implied knowledge of my business was stupid and suicidal.
He was silent for a moment, waiting for a reaction. When he didn’t get one, his glare hardened.
As if I’d wronged him.
“What did you say your name was?” I asked, though we both knew he hadn’t given one.
He didn’t answer, but it wasn’t a strategic avoidance. His attention was aimed out the window.
Shit.
I should’ve had made sure Juliet stayed in the media room until we gave the okay. I’d assumed their movie would last longer, but based on his stare going from nosy to rapt, I knew she was outside.
Turning my chair to the side, I watched Juliet bend at the waist to set her iPad and Diet Coke down. She shoved off her shorts and slowly lifted her tee to reveal her gorgeous body in a white bikini that barely covered anything.
Shaking out her hair, she gathered it before securing it in a high ponytail.
My wet dream was putting on a show that was only supposed to be for me.
I spun back to the man and cleared my throat.
It took him far too fucking long to drag his eyes away from her. When they met mine, they were calculating and sharper than I’d given him credit for. “Our offer is generous. You get Carmichael and your pick of fresh boxers. They’re good. Fast, young, and ambitious.” He smiled, but it wasn’t a friendly one. “We’re doing you two favors.”
His words were affable, but his tone spit fire and disgust. The longer he sat there, the heavier the chip on his shoulder became. And the harder it was for him to hide it.
I’d pissed off a lot of people personally. Even more by domino effect. It was impossible to keep track of everyone who hated me.
But this man was undeniably one of them.
It was evident in his eyes, his voice, and his body language.
I just had no clue why, and he clearly wasn’t going to tell me. Not why he hated me. Not who he was.
And not why he was actually there.
Because I was willing to bet Nebula the only boxing he was involved with was the cardboard variety.
I was about to call bullshit on the whole thing when my phone rang.
“I