Page 112 of Hidden Ties

“I tried hard …” She gave a giggle, which did nothing to stir his dick.

“Then you didn’t push the right button, did you?” His expression turned austere. The outline of her thick nipples was protruding though her thin dress. Nothing made Livvy hotter than having to work for what she wanted.

“IpromiseI’ll get him to meet me.”

“At the apartment I rented for you?”

“Of course. I know you like to watch.”

He rewarded her with a pleased smile. “Lock the door.”

FIFTEEN

Sliding the BMW into a parking space in front of a small house, Kent watched as two men walked outside. He easily recognized one as the man he would be protecting; the other, he couldn’t get a good look at with the hoodie hiding his features.

His jaw tightened. Why did they always think they didn’t have to play by the rules he had explicitly given when he agreed to act as a go-between?

Kent waited until both men were inside before he showed his displeasure.

“What’s he doing here?” he asked Mica, who had taken the seat up front next to him while the hoodie was slouching in the back seat.

Mica gave him a cocky grin. “He’s with me.”

“No shit,” he said sarcastically. “What did you not understand about it being just you and me?”

“Brody’s my protection. He’s cool.”

“I’m all the protection you’re going to need unless you’re planning to fuck the Phantoms over.”

“Do I look stupid?”

“Do you really want me to answer that asinine question?”

The grin disappeared from Mica’s face. “I’m paying you a shit ton of money to work for me. I say Brody is going. If not, I can handle this deal myself.”

Kent didn’t waver at the threat. “Both of you get the fuck out of my car,” he ordered harshly.

Mica’s cocky attitude disappeared. “Let’s talk about this. Brody knows how to handle himself. He won’t do anything stupid.”

“I don’t care if he’s chill or if he knows how to handle himself. Wraith won’t care, either. We agreed to come alone. Wraith is only bringing one other person as well. If we bring another person, he will just leave. He won’t stand around and argue with you. Then the deal won’t go through,” Kent told him in a cold, precise voice.

“Fuck!” Mica snarled, his complexion growing ruddy with anger. “Go back to the house, Brody, and wait for me there.”

When he checked in the rear-view mirror, Kent saw Brody was about to argue.

Kent forestalled him.

“I’ll have him back in an hour,” he said firmly. “I’ve never had a problem making transactions with the Phantoms. If we play by the rules, the deal will go down without a hitch.”

The bodyguard was pissed, but he did get out of the car.

With Brody gone, he still didn’t put the car in gear.

“Show me the merchandise.” Holding his hand out, he waited expectantly for the bag Mica was holding tightly on his lap.

“Why do you need to see it?” he countered.

Kent gave a mock laugh. “If you think I’m going to hand over a bag to Wraith without double-checking the merchandise, then you’re insane. We aren’t fucking trading Pokémon cards. You try to pull the wool over Wraith’s eyes, they’ll pull real fucking guns on you and fill you with real fucking bullets. Then he’ll fill mewith lead just to show everyone not to mess with him. You get my fucking meaning?”