“My fucking father,” Cameron muttered as he ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I can pay something, just give me a little time to pull it together. I’ll make a down payment.”
“What kind of down payment are we talking about?”
He looked like he was trying to calculate quickly in his head. “I don’t know. Twenty thousand. Maybe fifty if I can come up with that much.”
I shook my head. “That ain’t going to cut it.”
“I don’t have more than that.”
“Then if you want to keep the bakery, you’re going to have to work for us.”
Cameron’s eyes hardened. “No. I won’t let you use this place anymore.”
“Still too good for us? It’s one or the other. Work off the debt or pay us the money by the end of the week.”
“The end of the week?” His face reddened and his hands clenched into fists. There was the anger I wanted. The fire in his eyes that made my cock swell. Would he be mad like that when I fucked him? Would he fight me? I sure as hell hoped so. “I’m not fucking working for you. I don’t want any part of the shit your family’s involved in. I never have.”
“Believe me, I know. But you see, not everyone gets what they want.” But I would. I would make sure he didn’t have any other choice.
“I’ll get the money.”
“What are you going to do? Rob a bank?”
“Maybe. My father taught me plenty, and he had me working for him when I was eight years old.”
I had to force myself to keep my expression neutral. After the shit he’d given me about being a fucking criminal, he was telling me he’d been one himself? “You’re… a fucking thief? And all that time you acted so fucking full of yourself. You’re no better than me.”
“I hated it. When my mother realized he was using me, she found a way to put a stop to it. I don’t know how, and I’m sure it would sicken me if I did. I swore I wouldn’t use the skills he taught me again, but I’ll never let you have this bakery. This place is mine.”
We’d see about that. “What did your old man teach you? How to pickpocket? How to lift something from a store? That’s not going to get you the money you need. Do you have a fence? Even if you think you do, I’ll get to them first.” Anger made Cameron’s eyes go dark, and he looked even more fucking gorgeous.
“You’re just as much of an asshole as you were in high school. How the fuck do you expect me to get the money?”
I let my gaze travel up and down his body. “I can think of some ways.”
“No one touches me unless I want them to.”
“You want me to, though, don’t you?”
There was fear in his eyes now. He rose and took a few steps away from me. “No… That’s… You’re seeing what you want to see.”
“I’m seeing what you’re showing me, your wide eyes and the way your breath hitched at my words.”
“Fuck off, Angelo.”
I approached him, and he retreated until he was pinned against the wall. “This is no joke. You owe my family money, and we’re going to get it, one way or another. Unless you really are planning to rob a bank, you’re not going to be able to hand over the cash.”
“Fuck you, Angel.”
I was fucking impressed at the amount of vitriol he put into my nickname.
“How the fuck did he get that far in debt with you?”
“Stupidity and greed.” He scowled at me, and I saw his pulse beating wildly at the base of his throat. Was that fear or lust? Did it matter?
“And you just let him keep borrowing.”
“It’s not our place to judge our clients, and trust me, my father was generous with him.”
Cameron tried to shove me away. When I didn’t budge, he made a growly sound that took me from half-hard to all the way there.
“Let me set you straight right now.” Cameron bit out the words.
“Baby, no one’s been able to do that. Not even my father.”
“Wait. You’re actually… gay?”
“I’m bi. So yes, I like men. Very much.” I pressed my hands to the wall on either side of his head, caging him in. “Face it, Cameron…” I drew his name out in a low, husky voice. His eyes went wide. I leaned closer and felt him shiver as I blew against his neck. When I licked the outer edge of his ear, he tensed, the corded muscles of his neck standing out. He didn’t push me away, though. That was telling. “There is one other way you can pay off this debt.”
“I told you. I’m not working for your family.” He tried to push me away again. I wrapped my fingers around his wrists and slammed his arms against the wall. “Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’ll get the upper hand with me. You won’t. Not now. Not ever. This ain’t high school. I’ve had a lot of years to figure out ways to always get what I want.”