Page 110 of Watched

My father played me, and it’s only a matter of time before he presents Blade an offer he won’t refuse. Without my mother here to keep Dad in check and make him question his actions, Dad’s greed has no limit. Blade has no limit to what he’ll do to get Alexa.

I’m standing in a pit of snakes with no way out.

Securing my money clip around the new bundle containing £80,000, I slide it into my jacket pocket.

“The fuck?” Blade growls in my ear as we move back to our chairs. “You could’ve made double that. Why the fuck are you losing on purpose?”

“You want to be kicked out of…” I trail off when clashing with brown contacts just inside the door.

Finally, we’ve been here two hours. I want to let Blade go at him like the animal he is, but Ryan White is a form of communication to Smith.

“Gentleman.” Ryan flashes his disgusting rotten teeth, the smile deepening his wrinkles. “I was wondering when you’d show up here.” He waves a hand at a server. “Scotch, neat.” He holds out a hundred before taking a seat and leaning forward across the small table. “£10 million and I’ll leave you alone,” he negotiates.

I arch a brow. “You think we owe you £10 million because you sat in prison for selling photos of and jerking off to little fucking kids?”

He’s under the assumption I’ll hand over money and take his word he’ll disappear? It’s really pissing me off that people believe I’m so fucking stupid.

“I’m the tamest of the people I sat in a cell with,” Ryan argues.

Blade chuckles. “Which sounds to me like you can’t stomach whatever he’s planning.”

Ryan’s gaze locks on mine. “I have people waiting for me. Give me the money, and you’ll never see me again. If I don’t walk out that door, they’ll be in here looking for me.” He sits back, taking the drink. “Offer’s there. I suggest you take it.”

He’s a fucking imbecile if he believes I’m taking any offer he proposes, and there’s only one reason he’d present a deal this quickly.

“You’re already running.” I take out a piece of gum and slide it into my mouth. “Aren’t you?”

To the untrained eye he’d present as collected, but I just caught his jaw move. He’s just pressed his tongue to his teeth. I’m right. The question circling my mind: why is he running now?

“Shame about Josephine.” I cock my head. “Seems she wasn’t willing to play ball.”

It’s not just Smith he fears—it’s us. He’s aware of what we did to Sam Kidd.

His gaze drops to my finger rhythmically tapping my glass. He aided in giving Alexa those pills. I don’t take that lightly, and Blade, well, I can already see him choosing the best way to kill the fucker.

Ryan’s increasingly panicked gaze flicks to mine when I cease my tapping. “I’ll give you your money—once you get us in a room with Smith.”

He drops his gaze, debating for a moment.

£10 million—which he’ll never see—will go a lot further if he’s not forced to spend it on hiding himself.

“What makes you believe I still have contact?” Ryan asks.

Blade tips his glass. “Forgiveness can be bought. I’d invest in knee pads.”

I swallow back my laugh. I hate having meetings of this nature with Blade. It’s as though he purposely says crude jokes just to test my restraint.

“We’ll give you a penthouse view while you’re in London. Get Smith here, and we’ll keep our end of the deal.” I slide the black key card out of my pocket, placing it on the table between us.

His breaths quicken as he stares at his only key to freedom. He can either run to Smith and risk being killed, or side with us on a chance we may show mercy. I won’t, and that word isn’t in Blade’s vocabulary.

“And if I can’t get him to London?” Ryan asks.

He’s still in America. Good to know.

I tip my glass to the card. “You have ten seconds before Blade makes acquaintance with your little friends outside.”

Sweat beads on his bald head, his fingers tightening around his glass.