Page 69 of Claimed By the Villain

When I look back at the woman, after slipping my phone into my bag already slung over my shoulder, I frown.

She’s not dressed like someone here to ask for donations. In fact, she looks more like someone who’d make one—which I also doubt, since we usually only see donors by appointment.

“How can I help you?”

“For starters, it would help a lot if you stopped chasing my son’s father.”

“What?”

“Gonna play dumb?” she asks.

She digs into something in her designer purse, and I take a step back, only to breathe a sigh of relief when she pulls out an envelope.

I walk around the counter, pretending to pay attention to what she’s handing me, while moving toward the entrance as if interested in the package.

It’s clear as day the woman’s unhinged.

I pull the contents out.

I look at the photos, forcing the most cynical expression I can manage, when in reality my heart is pounding from pure nerves.

“What’s this supposed to mean?” I try to sound outraged, but really, I’m buying time, inching closer to the exit.

No, she’s not crazy. She’s here with a purpose.

“See for yourself. Lucifer and I have a son together. He abandoned him because of his obsession with you.”

I put on a shocked face.

“Oh my God! He never told me anything!” I keep lying, pretending to believe her, while my mind tries to process what’s happening.

Whoever sent her took the trouble to doctor the photos to make it look like Lucifer was holding a boy of about two years old in his arms.

“He didn’t tell you because he wants the best of both worlds. The family and the mistress.”

“Where is the child? Can I see him?”

“In my car. Come with me and I’ll introduce you to our son. Maybe then you’ll understand why you need to leave us alone.”

I look at her, and I can pinpoint the exact moment she realizes I don’t believe a word she’s saying. She moves slowly, reaching into her bag again.

This time, I don’t wait, I’m certain she’s going for a gun. I shove her with all my strength, catching her off guard.

“You might’ve fooled me, but you picked the wrong lie,” I shout as I run for the street. “He would never abandon a child.”

I couldn’t tell you how I managed to sprint across the entire parking lot and reach the sidewalk, but when I finally do, I almost collapse into my bodyguard’s arms.

“Someone came after me. She’s still inside!”

Chapter 36

I almost manage a smile when I see Jackie running out of the association where she works. I didn’t think that son of a bitch would let her come back here. Not now that he’s taken her out of her house and stashed her in his lair.

I’ve been watching that damn fortress where he lives, but getting inside is impossible. The bastard’s turned it into an actual stronghold.

I could blow the whole thing up like I did in Bolivia, but finding a bomb expert willing to plant one anywhere near Manhattan is impossible. The punishment for terrorist attacks on American soil is taken very seriously, and everyone I’ve contacted is scared shitless of spending the rest of their lives behind bars.

I was almost certain today’s plan wouldn’t work, but still, I had everything lined up in case Jackie ever stepped out alone. Well, technically, she wasn’t alone, she had a bodyguard waiting for her outside.