He toys with a strand of my hair, ignoring my command. “I thought he gave up that building for you.” His eyes narrow as he scrutinizes me up close. “For as pretty as you are, though, and clearly innocent, I don’t think it was that simple.”
“Winston’s business deals are none of my concern,” I throw back, straightening my spine. “Are we through here?”
“We’re through when I say we’re through,” he snaps, the muscle in his neck bulging with his sudden bout of rage. “You see, I think he’s not planning to give up that building at all. It was too easy. I fell for it because I was fixated on you being what he wanted. But, after some careful thought, I realize you’re the distraction. The building is what he loves. Why, I have no fucking idea.”
“You have it all figured out,” I deadpan, feigning a boredom Winston would be proud of.
Leo pulls out one of the Starbursts he stole from me. Slowly, he unwraps it and holds it up in front of me. “Lick it.”
“Fuck you,” I snarl, shoving at his immovable form.
He grips my jaw making me shriek. “Lick.”
With tears threatening, I stick my tongue out. He makes a perverted show of rubbing the candy all over the tip of my tongue before he tosses the red square into his own mouth. His hand lets go of my face and he grins.
“Yummy,” he says, his dark eyes flashing with evil intent as he chews on the candy. “Back to what I was saying before you started being a bitch.” I flinch as he continues. “Find out why he’s so fucking obsessed with that building. None of his family members or friends work there. It doesn’t make sense.”
“Maybe he just likes fucking with you,” I throw back, because it seems like a Winston thing to do.
“Maybe,” he agrees with a shrug, swallowing the Starburst. “Regardless, I want to know what has his dick so hard when it comes to my building. It’s like he’s waiting for something. All of it was too easy, and I don’t buy it that he sold it to protect you. I just don’t.”
Gee, thanks, asshole.
“So that was the deal?” I ask, lifting a brow, channeling my inner What Would Winston Do? vibes. “You got to buy the building if you left me alone?”
“Seems too easy, right?”
“Seems like you reneged on your end of the deal,” I spit out at him. “Accosting me and threatening me is not leaving me alone.”
He barks out a surprised laugh. “Nothing gets by you, sweetheart, does it? What Winston doesn’t know won’t hurt him. But, if you tell him, I will hurt you.” He steps closer, his dark eyes falling to my lips, the scent of cherry Starburst strong on his breath. “You like a little pain, though, right? From the videos I’ve watched many, many times, I’d say you do.”
My skin heats at his words, but I refuse to let this man make me cower. “I’ll try and find out why he loves that building.” I’ll say anything to him in order to get the hell out of the bathroom and back to safety.
“Trying isn’t good enough. Find out for sure. Use your persuasive womanly abilities. It’s evident you hold some kind of power over the great Winston Constantine. All I’m asking is for you to wield it.” He smirks. “To help a friend.”
“You’re not my friend, fuckface.”
“If you get me what we need, we could be. Trust me, pretty girl, you need a Morelli friend if you plan to make it in this world.”
“So the Mannford triplets are your friends?” I demand, pinning him with a glare. “I can assure you, Morelli, I have no desire to be friends with anyone those psychopaths associate with.”
He stares at me for a beat and then holds out his palm. “Give me your phone.”
“You already stole the last one,” I exclaim, tears pricking at my eyes. “I haven’t even done anything with the new one yet!”
“Stop throwing a tantrum,” he bites out, “and give me your phone. I’m adding a contact, not stealing it. When I call, you best answer. I wouldn’t want to have to accidentally leak those filthy pictures of you to the press.”
The thought of my indiscretions with Winston becoming front page news for all to see has bile rising in my throat. It’ll ruin everything. His career, our relationships with our families, my future and college. This sort of thing is a stain on your reputation you can’t erase. I hate that Leo and his minion triplets are able to hold such power over me.
I yank my phone from my purse, unlock it, and shove it against his chest. His dark chuckle chills my blood as he adds in the contact. He hands it back to me, and I notice it’s my old number with the contact name: Answer Me.