Page 35 of Cruel Proposal
The announcer keeps looking around the room, asking if there's anyone else there willing to give up ten million for her.
Other men in the room might know who she is, who she belongs to. They're likely afraid of taking the risk of pissing off Aiden.
Based on the look he's giving the people around him, the color draining from his face, and the way he checks his phone, he's close to his limit. He's deciding whether he can go one more round.
He tucks his phone back into his pocket and nods.
"Ten million, anyone?"
Robert nods.
Hector stops bidding, making himself disappear again, only a flash of a smile on his face before he's gone and moving around the room.
I grin at the stage, looking at the horror on Summer's face.
I have to admit, she's doing a good job pretending she's terrified. If I hadn't spent the last couple of weeks with her, studying her and watching her when she was alone, I wouldn't know the look in her eyes right now.
She's pissed.
She's going to do something stupid as soon as she's off that stage.
It's the same look she'd give me right before she tried to attack me.
The announcer looks around the room. "Ten million going once. Going twice. Sold!"
The deal is done.
Hector appears at my side. "Do you think this is a good idea?"
I lean back against the wall as a waitress in a short skirt walks by and slips me a drink. "Of course it's not. It's a horrible idea, and allowing him to get his hands on a Lynde is likely going to make things more complicated."
"What if he tries to give her back to them?"
Interesting.
Hector has a reason to suspect Robert of working with the Lyndes.
I wouldn't put it outside the realm of possibility given everything else my family's been doing behind my back.
"He's not going to get that far." I swirl the amber drink in the glass before downing it.
He nods. "Caught the Lyndes waiting outside to try and get her. A couple of men. Nobodies in the grand scheme of it all. Left them with their necks open in their cars. Had the cars towed straight to Aiden's property."
Laughing, I clap him on the shoulder. "Good man. Were there any others working with them?"
"A couple of women helping the girls get ready and a few security guards." Hector tucks his hands into his pockets, tensing as Robert starts to move toward us. "They've all been dispatched now."
"Good. Find out if there was anyone else involved. Kill who you have to."
With a nod, Hector disappears back into the crowd of people starting to make their way toward the office to pay. He blends in with them seamlessly, like he isn't one of the tallest people in the room.
Robert slips through the crowd, a determined smile on his face as he stops in front of me. "So, brother, how does it feel to have your little pet stolen out from under you?"
Awfully smug for someone who doesn't know what game he's actually playing.
I take another drink from a passing waitress and sip it. "So, brother, how does it feel to know you've fucked the family?"
His mouth presses into a thin line, his eyebrows pulling together.
