“You won’thaveto.”
With burning intensity, the man studied me, and I didn’tflinch.
“You misjudged, Hennessy.I don’t care what happened.I am what I am.What the streets made me.What I made myself.Now, get the hell out of myoffice.”
Fuck.I had misjudged.Completely.Offering to find his mother was my bargain, and since he clearly didn’t want anything to do with her, I’d pissedhimoff.
Frustrated that I’d wasted my one chance, I stood.It had been a long shotanyway.
My phone went off in my pocket before I could turn to leave, and I pulled it out.If the man was kicking me out, what the fuck did it matter if Iwasrude?
Ariel:I think I’m in trouble.Something happened.Somethingbad.
Istilledas I stared at thescreen.
“Something wrong,Hennessy?”
Interest edged his tone, but all I could hear was the blood roaring inmyears.
“I’m getting out of your office, just like you wanted.”I went for the wall I’d entered through and pushed, hoping to trigger the mechanism so I could get thehellout.
“In a hurry all of asudden.”
I spun around as Mount stood, knowing I’d made a mistake.I’d exposed a weakness in front of a man who wouldn’t hesitate to take advantage of it.But to get to Ari, I didn’tfuckingcare.
“Let me the fuck outofhere.”
He shook his head, his eyes alight withinterest.“No.”
I scanned the room, ready to grab the nearest blunt object as a weapon, but there was nothing.Maybe for that exactreason.
“It’s a woman, isn’t it?Not your friend’s woman, either.What’s her name, Hennessy?What would make you stupid enough to considerattackingme?”
The fact that he knew about Valentina shouldn’t have surprised me, but it did.“What the fuck does itmatter?”
“Because I deal in information.And this piece is too good topassup.”
I’d never give him Ari’s name.Fuck that.This piece of shit didn’t deserve to know she existed.“Fuck you,Mount.”
His smile was pure predator.“Willing to risk it allforher?”
My hands curled into fists of rage.“I’d fucking dieforher.”
He slipped his hands into the pockets of his suit pants.“Then I hope she’s worthy.Sofeware.”
I turned around again and reached for the next book, but the wall slid open before I could touch it.I jerked my head around to look back at Mount as hespoke.
“Look closer to home, Hennessy.You’re missingsomething.”
With those cryptic words, he turned his back on me, and I bolted out intothemaze.
I’mcoming,Ari.
38
Rhett
Ihadmy phone to my ear the second I hit the front door, bolting down the sidewalk toward the street where I’d parked my Jeep nearNobleArt.