The men shared a look, their guns wavering. “Why should we believe you? You could be a penniless little fucker—”
“I’m worth a thousand times more than my brother in assets. If I give you my word that I’ll pay, I’ll pay.”
The copper-haired one wrinkled his nose. “Think we’ll still help ourselves to that whore behind you. Her moans are making me hard.”
I clutched Jinx tighter to my spine, my biceps bunching from holding her weight awkwardly behind me. “One million. That’s generous.”
“It’s insulting,” the taller one muttered. “A million split three ways? Fuck off and step aside. She’s ours.”
“How many of your men are left?” I backed up a little, keeping Eleanor’s nakedness hidden behind mine, closing the gap between us and the wall.
The short dark-haired one seemed most open to my offer. His sneer had gone, calculations running through his eyes. He mulled over my question before answering, “We came as a team of ten. Why? Think you can kill all of us?”
“Already said goodbye to four.” I grinned even though I wanted to trip to the floor and sleep for days. “What’s another six?”
“Cocky bastard.”
“Like I said, I won’t kill you if you leave now.”
Eleanor flinched, her body no longer just fighting against mine but seducing it. She rubbed against me. She pressed lusty kisses down my spine. She’d lost any sense of calmness, drowning beneath another wave of elixir.
“And by the way, I didn’t mean a million total.” I nodded like the unflappable hotelier that I was. “I meant a million. Each.”
A spark of interest finally arrived, followed by humour. “Expect us to believe you’ll wire a million into our accounts in a week if we leave?” the tall one stepped forward, making Eleanor moan behind me.
Moan with need not fear.
Fuck.
“Sorry, mate, we’re not idiots. We don’t take IOUs. We take cash.” He licked his lips as Eleanor writhed harder against me, forcing me to dig my fingernails into her arms, doing my best to keep her protected despite her undoing my control. “Hard, cold cash—”
“I have cash. In my office. Go see for yourself. The safe is hidden behind a painting of a caique parrot in the corridor. The combination is 44884.”
The copper-haired one laughed coldly. “Just have a measly three million sitting around in a safe, huh? Yeah, right. We’re not leaving. Not until we fuck that tasty thing behind you. We’ll even be nice. We’ll let you watch. And then we’ll take you to Drake to finish what he started.”
All three men stepped toward me.
Eleanor groaned, terror tangling with her thirst.
My muscles bunched with rage, preparing to take on three men regardless of my current condition. I might win another battle. I’d won the last one through sheer adrenaline. Tritec-87 had helped but keeping Eleanor away from my brother had been the reason for my invincibility.
This would be no different.
My heart pumped as they took another step.
Eleanor tried to get away from me, her skin flushed and sticky against mine. I wanted to snarl at her to quit it. To listen to me. To help me. Instead, I kept my entire attention on the pack of men slowly backing us into a corner.
“There’s five million in there, not three,” I hissed. “It’s a bolt fund.”
All three men froze. They shared a look.
“Five?” The copper-haired guy’s eyebrows shot up. “You have five fucking million just sitting there.”
“In cash and diamonds.” I struggled to stay human and not crouch ready to attack. I hated that I bargained with these assholes. It felt weak, wrong. I wanted their blood on the floor and their hearts in my hands.
But…Eleanor.
She’s worth more than my idiotic pride.
She moaned, wrenching their attention back to her.
Goddammit, woman.
Raising my voice over her debauchery, I growled, “You can have the lot. Every goddamn penny. Just leave.”
“Sully…please…” Jinx’s lips kissed along my shoulder, her teeth sinking into the sensitive flesh of my trapezius muscle.
My heart thundered; my own lust re-ignited. “Take the deal, gentlemen. It’s the best you’re going to get.”
They eyed each other.
Stress poured through my veins, feeding fury and fatigue in equal measure. I’d never been so on edge—never so hung up on a business negotiation. Never wanted anything this much. Never needed a girl this much.
Finally, the tall one nodded on behalf of the pack and holstered his gun. “If what you say is true, you have a deal.” He pointed a finger at me. “But if I find out you’re lying, I’m gonna fuck that goddess of yours until she’s in pieces, and then, I’ll personally save your cock and balls as souvenirs when your brother cuts them clean off your bullshitting corpse.”
My lips thinned. My nostrils flared. I’d never permitted such disrespect, such fucking insubordination. A few months ago, if anyone had ever dared speak to me that way their tongue would’ve been shoved up their ass. Literally.