Page 34 of Fated Love with You

“Please let me go,” he pleads. “I won’t tell Rush Banks anything else, and I’ll never contact him again.”

“Cross your heart and hope to die?”

“I swear.”

“Well, since you’ve presented me with such an amazing offer, I guess I have no choice but to agree to your terms.”

My men shoot me a confused look.

“Let’s go,” I say, motioning to the door. “You heard what the man said.”

“Sir, he stole?—”

“I know that.” I check my watch. “And since he insists on being let go—meaning, us leaving him here, we’ll do that. Until he crosses my mind again, which—given how I treat betrayal—could be six months. Or never.”

“No, wait.” Austin’s eyes widen. “That wasn’t what I meant.”

“Has to be,” I say. “You can’t be stupid enough to think I’d let you out of here alive.”

“I didn’t spend a dime of your money, and I didn’t know you had a daughter. If I did, I would’ve never…”

I walk away amid his failed pleas and they lock the warehouse behind me.

“Does he have any family or friends who may ask questions?” I ask.

“An ex-girlfriend he owes money to.”

“Remind me of that three months from now when we return,” I say. “Give me the key.”

“Wait…” One of my men hesitates. “We’re just going to leave him in there?”

“Is someone asking me a question?” I turn to look at the man who asked it, certain I’m mishearing things.

“I, uh…” He swallows. “No, I just wanted clarification on whether we were leaving him or if we needed to do something else.”

I glance at Chester, confused.

“He didn’t mean to ask you anything,” Chester says. “It’s his first day at this new promoted position.”

“It’ll be his last if he thinks about asking another one.” I narrow my eyes at the guy. “Give me the fucking key.”

He obliges, and I run my finger along its edge. Then I toss it over the bridge.

“Nine days from now, call 9-1-1 about his body,” I say.

A chorus of “Yes, sir” follows, and I wait for them to return to their cars—to get away from me and Chester.

“Your father would be extremely proud of you,” he says. “Actually, he might also be quite terrified of you if he were here.”

“Is that a good or a bad thing?”

“It’s both.” He checks his watch. “If you’re going to handle the rest of your list, there’s a window tomorrow—but it depends.”

“On what?”

“How serious you are about giving Miss Jane a full two weeks off.”

“I’m still considering it.”