Force of Temptation
Page 58
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Harley’s brows flew up. Gabrielle truly was an absolute bitch who lacked any morals. Apparently her boss wasn’t much better.
“What’s more interesting is what Donovan discovered about the guy she’s sleeping with,” added Derren. “Listen to this . . .”
Arriving at apartment 253A, Jesse placed his body slightly in front of Harley’s and rapped his knuckles on the door. His Beta pair had followed them in another vehicle, and they were parked outside, keeping a lookout. No one thought that the extremists would stupidly try to make a grab for Harley, but they all agreed that it wasn’t worth the risk.
He glanced at Harley, trying to gauge her mood. Right now, she was proving harder to read than usual. She’d been quiet as they drove. They often lapsed into comfortable silences, neither feeling the need to speak for the mere sake of it. But the earlier silence had felt awkward. Loaded with things left unsaid. It made his wolf anxious.
Moments later, a small redhead with cunning eyes opened the door. Those eyes flashed with recognition as she took him in. She gave him a sultry grin, but it dimmed as her gaze flicked to the female with him. “Well, if it isn’t Harley Vincent. Changed your mind about giving me an exclusive after all?”
“We should take this inside,” said Jesse.
Harley almost rolled her eyes when Gabrielle’s breath hitched and her eyes went half lidded. Her cat unsheathed her claws and took a swipe at the bitch for ogling him.
Gabrielle swung the door open wide. “Come on in.” She put a lot of sway into her hips as she led them into the living area. Her place was actually nice. Stylish. Contemporary. Though maybe a little soulless for Harley’s liking.
“You know something, Harley?” said Gabrielle, picking up her Dictaphone with a smirk. “I always knew you would come to me sooner or later.”
The cockiness in her manner disgusted Harley’s cat. “Why is that?”
“I’m very good at reading people.”
Jesse took the Dictaphone from her hand, checked it wasn’t switched on, and then slung it on the sofa. “She’s not here to discuss Clive Vincent.” He tilted his head. “You don’t like my Harley very much, do you? I have to wonder what your issue with her is.”
Gabrielle stiffened . . . most likely because a lethal edge had crept into his voice that made even Harley nervous. Considering how much beef he had with the reporter, Harley had expected an explosion of some sort. But no. Oh, it was clear that he was pissed; his fury pulsed around the room. But he appeared the epitome of calm.
“I’m not interested in making a new friend; I’m interested in her story,” said Gabrielle, watching him carefully. “I suppose I haven’t been too polite in trying to get it, but it’s just business.”
One of Harley’s brows slid up. “Not personal?” She hissed. “That article you wrote will have extremists lining up to reach me.”
Her over-glossed lips flattened. “You have a pack to protect you now.”
“A pack that you also endangered by sending extremists my way.” Her voice went slightly guttural as her cat pushed for dominance.
Licking her lips, Gabrielle backed up. “That wasn’t my intention.”
“I don’t believe you,” said Harley, taking a step forward for each one she took backward. Gabrielle’s eyes flickered with fear. Her cat liked that.
“You wouldn’t hurt me.”
Harley’s mouth curved. “You don’t know me, Gabrielle. You don’t know what I’m capable of or you would never have fucked with me.”
“Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to piss off a margay?” Jesse asked the reporter. “I’m a Mercury wolf, as you know. My pack has the kind of resources, contacts, and alliances you can only dream of. Just imagine how much misery I can cause a person for fucking with my mate . . . then triple it.”
Chest rising and falling madly, Gabrielle said shakily, “My pack wouldn’t take too kindly to you threatening me.” Oh, the fox had balls.
“They’ll see it as my right, given that your actions put my mate in danger,” said Jesse. “They’ll also be forced to agree that it was wrong for you to take personal photographs without my knowledge or consent. No shifter likes their private business made public.”
“The photographs were given to me anonymously. Someone slid them under the door of my office. They were in a blank envelope.”
“Is that so?” he asked, skeptical.
“Look.” She opened a black satchel, flipped it open, and pulled out a letter-sized brown envelope—the same kind Hector had used to contain the testimonies. “There are at least five photos in there.”
Jesse fished them out and quickly flipped through them. “You have no idea who sent them to you?”
She shook her head. “A lot of people leave me things anonymously.”
“Hmm.” Jesse returned the photos to the envelope. “I’ll be taking these with me.”
Harley then shoved her way into Gabrielle’s personal space. “Now you listen, and you listen good. If you do anything to put me in more danger than I’m already in, I’ll come for you. Just in case you’re thinking your pack can protect you or that it’s worth the risk, I can always pay your boss’s wife a visit. I’m sure she’d be interested to know just how close you are to her husband. And I’d be more than happy to tell her.”
“What’s more interesting is what Donovan discovered about the guy she’s sleeping with,” added Derren. “Listen to this . . .”
Arriving at apartment 253A, Jesse placed his body slightly in front of Harley’s and rapped his knuckles on the door. His Beta pair had followed them in another vehicle, and they were parked outside, keeping a lookout. No one thought that the extremists would stupidly try to make a grab for Harley, but they all agreed that it wasn’t worth the risk.
He glanced at Harley, trying to gauge her mood. Right now, she was proving harder to read than usual. She’d been quiet as they drove. They often lapsed into comfortable silences, neither feeling the need to speak for the mere sake of it. But the earlier silence had felt awkward. Loaded with things left unsaid. It made his wolf anxious.
Moments later, a small redhead with cunning eyes opened the door. Those eyes flashed with recognition as she took him in. She gave him a sultry grin, but it dimmed as her gaze flicked to the female with him. “Well, if it isn’t Harley Vincent. Changed your mind about giving me an exclusive after all?”
“We should take this inside,” said Jesse.
Harley almost rolled her eyes when Gabrielle’s breath hitched and her eyes went half lidded. Her cat unsheathed her claws and took a swipe at the bitch for ogling him.
Gabrielle swung the door open wide. “Come on in.” She put a lot of sway into her hips as she led them into the living area. Her place was actually nice. Stylish. Contemporary. Though maybe a little soulless for Harley’s liking.
“You know something, Harley?” said Gabrielle, picking up her Dictaphone with a smirk. “I always knew you would come to me sooner or later.”
The cockiness in her manner disgusted Harley’s cat. “Why is that?”
“I’m very good at reading people.”
Jesse took the Dictaphone from her hand, checked it wasn’t switched on, and then slung it on the sofa. “She’s not here to discuss Clive Vincent.” He tilted his head. “You don’t like my Harley very much, do you? I have to wonder what your issue with her is.”
Gabrielle stiffened . . . most likely because a lethal edge had crept into his voice that made even Harley nervous. Considering how much beef he had with the reporter, Harley had expected an explosion of some sort. But no. Oh, it was clear that he was pissed; his fury pulsed around the room. But he appeared the epitome of calm.
“I’m not interested in making a new friend; I’m interested in her story,” said Gabrielle, watching him carefully. “I suppose I haven’t been too polite in trying to get it, but it’s just business.”
One of Harley’s brows slid up. “Not personal?” She hissed. “That article you wrote will have extremists lining up to reach me.”
Her over-glossed lips flattened. “You have a pack to protect you now.”
“A pack that you also endangered by sending extremists my way.” Her voice went slightly guttural as her cat pushed for dominance.
Licking her lips, Gabrielle backed up. “That wasn’t my intention.”
“I don’t believe you,” said Harley, taking a step forward for each one she took backward. Gabrielle’s eyes flickered with fear. Her cat liked that.
“You wouldn’t hurt me.”
Harley’s mouth curved. “You don’t know me, Gabrielle. You don’t know what I’m capable of or you would never have fucked with me.”
“Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to piss off a margay?” Jesse asked the reporter. “I’m a Mercury wolf, as you know. My pack has the kind of resources, contacts, and alliances you can only dream of. Just imagine how much misery I can cause a person for fucking with my mate . . . then triple it.”
Chest rising and falling madly, Gabrielle said shakily, “My pack wouldn’t take too kindly to you threatening me.” Oh, the fox had balls.
“They’ll see it as my right, given that your actions put my mate in danger,” said Jesse. “They’ll also be forced to agree that it was wrong for you to take personal photographs without my knowledge or consent. No shifter likes their private business made public.”
“The photographs were given to me anonymously. Someone slid them under the door of my office. They were in a blank envelope.”
“Is that so?” he asked, skeptical.
“Look.” She opened a black satchel, flipped it open, and pulled out a letter-sized brown envelope—the same kind Hector had used to contain the testimonies. “There are at least five photos in there.”
Jesse fished them out and quickly flipped through them. “You have no idea who sent them to you?”
She shook her head. “A lot of people leave me things anonymously.”
“Hmm.” Jesse returned the photos to the envelope. “I’ll be taking these with me.”
Harley then shoved her way into Gabrielle’s personal space. “Now you listen, and you listen good. If you do anything to put me in more danger than I’m already in, I’ll come for you. Just in case you’re thinking your pack can protect you or that it’s worth the risk, I can always pay your boss’s wife a visit. I’m sure she’d be interested to know just how close you are to her husband. And I’d be more than happy to tell her.”
