With each word that left his mouth, anger bloomed inside of me. I wasn’t stupid. I knew what he was doing. Bait. That’s what he expected me to be. And worse than that, I was supposed to let this guy bully and threaten me, maybe even hurt me. My anger grew until my chest hurt and my body was vibrating as I tried to hold it back.
But the dam broke. “Like my body?” I asked him pointedly. “Is that what I’m supposed to promise him?”
Ethan must have heard the rage building inside me, because he got stiff. His body went rigid and his expression became a blank mask. “I don’t expect you to sleep with him,” he told me flatly.
Gritting my teeth, I stood, clenching my hands into tight fists at my sides to keep them from shaking. “No. You just expect me to say I will, right? And what will you do to make sure I don’t have to follow through with that promise?”
He let out a sigh and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. “Diana, I’m not trying to whore you out.”
I barked out a laugh, hurt and anger both coursing through my chest. “Isn’t that what you’re already doing? I’m your personal sex piggy bank, aren’t I? What’s one more donation?”
His eyes narrowed at me, his full mouth pulling down into a hard frown. “Damnit, woman. You think I want to use you as bait? Of course I don’t. That piece of shit doesn’t get to touch anything that’s mine and that includes you.”
Shaking my head at him, I spat, “You disgust me. I’m not your property, no matter what our deal is. And you can’t just tell me to risk my neck—or my body—for your petty rivalry with some lowdown piece of pond scum that your business dragged up from the bottom of the river. I won’t do it.”
“Diana,” he began, but I was already turning away from him.
I’d had enough. I went to the door, watching as Louis sidestepped until he was right in front of it. I fixed him with a hard stare. “Move. I’m done here.”
His eyes flickered over my shoulder, undoubtedly looking for permission from his boss. I expected to be manhandled back to my chair per Ethan’s orders, but instead I was surprised as Louis moved out of my way. The urge to glance back and see what sort of look Ethan had given him was intense, but I resisted.
I reached for the door and jerked it open, but before I could make my exit, Ethan spoke again. “We have to take care of this, Diana.”
Despite my better judgment, I glanced over my shoulder at him. He looked just like he always did. Cocky. Gorgeous. Sensual in the most devilish of ways. There wasn’t an ounce of apology on him. He did what he did and he made no bones about it. This was him, take it or leave it. Well, I would leave it. I didn’t care what his deal was. I’d figure out a way around this. His drugs weren’t worth my body or my life.
“We don’t have to do anything. You got yourself into this, you can damn sure get yourself out.”
“You’re in this, too, Diana,” he pointed out.
Turning to face him, but keeping a hand on the doorknob, I fixed him with a steady glare. “Yes, because you forced me into it! I’ve done everything you’ve asked me over the last couple of months. Store your drugs? Check. Deal with your goons—?” I motioned towards Louis. “—Check. Let you fuck me until I—” I broke off, burning with embarrassment.
It wasn’t that I’d had sex with him in exchange for not having the other half of my store burned down. I’d done what I had to do and I’d come to terms with that. What embarrassed me now was that I’d grown to like it. I’d come to enjoy, in some way, our time together. What sort of person reacted like that?
Clearing my throat, I tried again. “I’ve risked my livelihood and gambled my son’s future. And it’s still not enough for you. Now you want me to risk my own life.”
He came around the desk, surprising me with a look that was almost sympathetic. It was so unlike him that I did a double take. He stopped a couple of feet from me. “We have to take care of Tommy. If we don’t, the whole operation is ruined. And that means both you and me will go to prison.” He took a step closer. “Even I don’t have enough connections with the police to keep us in the clear for this.” Another step. “What about Cody’s future then? Momma’s in prison and, what, he goes to daddy?”
I slapped him before I had a chance to think it through. The movement was quick—a kneejerk reaction to his words. To the mention of Cody’s father who was the biggest mistake of my life, even now, after everything.