Page 13 of Harder Betrayal

“Look at me.” Now he turned stern, not raising his voice but sounding pissed off.

My eyes immediately flicked back up.

He had me cornered. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. And that angry look told me he’d already figured it out. “What the fuck happened?”

Caught off guard, I was too scared to talk.

“Elise, why the fuck didn’t you tell me—”

“Because I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

That was the wrong thing to say because he looked more pissed off than ever.

“It was my decision. I was the one who walked away from my clients to be with you. This is my problem—not yours.”

He clenched his jaw and looked away briefly, like he needed a moment to restrain his rage before he said something stupid. “That’s the biggest load of shit I’ve ever heard. I’m not some pussy-ass bitch you need to cover for. I accepted your proposal, so I’m responsible for your happiness. Now tell me what the fuck that piece of shit did.”

I stayed quiet.

“Tell me, or I’ll cut straight to the chase and shoot him in the back of the head.”

I caved and told him how he’d cornered me at the bar. And how he’d ended up on my doorstep.

Grave looked angry the whole time, his eyes like bullets ready to fire.

“I had a knife in my purse, so I stabbed him. Haven’t heard from him since, but I’m sure he survived.”

His wall of anger flickered for just a moment. “You stabbed him?”

“Yes.”

“Good girl.” A subtle look of pride came into his eyes. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Maybe that was the end of it. You should leave it alone.”

“He doesn’t harass my woman on her doorstep and get away with it.”

“He didn’t. I stabbed him.”

“Well, it’s my turn to have a go.” He got to his feet and left his plate on the table. “I’ll see you later.”

“You’re doing this now?” I asked incredulously.

“Yes. Gonna cut through those stitches and stab him again.”

6

GRAVE

Kyle had various homes throughout France and Eastern Europe, but it didn’t take long for me to figure out which one he occupied. When he was out, I snuck in to his apartment while one of my girls distracted his security team. I made my way into the main sitting room, and one of his servants must have heard the elevator and assumed I was Kyle because he came out to greet me.

Then he turned gray when he realized I wasn’t Kyle.

Far from it.

My gun was tucked into the back of my jeans, but I didn’t pull it. “Do as I say, and no one gets hurt. You got that?”

After several seconds of trembling, he nodded.