Page 163 of Hurt

Elijah watched as the man deflated. He slumped forward and dropped his head in his hands. “Please. You have to understand—”

“We understand,” Roland said coldly. “We just don’t forgive.”

The doors of the dining room burst open, and a knife was in Elijah’s palm before he caught sight of the newcomer.

His heart sank.

Noah was striding across the carpet with three White Sand Mesa subordinates behind him. His hair was shorter than it had been three months ago, and someone had upgraded his wardrobe—the ripped jeans and hoodie were gone. In their place was a black button up and slacks. The only color on his body was the gold-plated gun on his hip. Even his eyes were dark and cold.

His gaze skimmed over Elijah and landed on the back of Quinn’s head.

“I’ve always wondered what a spineless motherfucker looked like. Guess now I know.” His words were casually cruel.

Elijah’s mouth went dry. Noah looked so much older. There were heavy bags under his eyes, and he had lost weight. His babyface was gone, replaced by sharp edges and eyes that were remarkably shark-like.

“Please, Noah, the Southern Rockies have always been loyal to White Sand Mesa.”

Noah stared down at him. “Bullshit. You were loyal to Luther.”

“That’s not true! We—”

“Really? So, you’re calling your daughter a liar?”

Quinn’s eyes bulged out of his head and the words died on his lips. “My…”

“Daughter. Yes. You only have the one.” He looked up at Roland. “Have you already hit him?”

Roland shook his head.

Noah rolled his eyes. “Your daughter came to me after she heard about my dear uncle’s death. Seems she was promised to Luther in marriage. Something about being the wealthiest woman in the hemisphere really appealed to her so she thought she would try her hand with me.”

Elijah felt sick. His heart contracted and he felt the stirrings of something unfamiliar.

“I’ve got to tell you, I don’t love coming home to find a strange woman in my bed,” Noah continued, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Elijah touched the blunt knife. Noah’s knife. The one he had touched. Thinking of a woman in Noah’s bed—a woman with long hair spread out across Noah’s pale skin, her glossed lips pressed to his, and vivid red fingernails leaving scratches on his back.

Jealous. Elijah was jealous with no right to be.

“She was more than willing to tell me everything I needed to know once she thought I would put a ring on her finger.” Noah’s annoyance shifted to anger, and he grabbed Quinn Taylor by the chin. “You knew exactly what Luther was planning and did nothing.”

“Please…you just…”

“Please, what? Use your words.”

“My daughter is innocent…”

“Well,” Noah dropped his face and wiped his fingers off on Quinn’s shirt, “hardly innocent. But don’t worry. I shipped her back to the Southern Rockies. She’s your second in commands problem now.”

Quinn breathed a sigh of relief.

Noah turned back to Roland. “His second in command is more than willing to take up the alliance. We just finished cutting a deal.”

Roland nodded. “And him?” He nodded to Quinn.

“I’ve got more than enough junk at my place. You deal with him.”

Jamie pulled a pair of plastic cufflinks from his pocket and tightened them around Quinn’s wrists. “How do you feel about the desert? It’s a lovely place to die. The buzzards are really quite respectful. They wait until you’re almost dead before going for your eye—wait, why are you crying? I’m trying to comfort you!”