Free Expose (Billionaire Series) by Evelyn Harper

Maybe the people around you will
start having…‘accidents.’ You’ll have the pleasure of watching them suffer for
you.”
     
    I a shiver went down my spine as the crime boss finished his
sentence. Even though he wasn’t addressing me, I felt the helpless, trapped
feeling he was evoking. This was what Mathis was afraid would happen. The fear
that I, or anyone else, would be in danger. To my surprise, Mathis, far from
being intimidated, gave a snort of contempt.
     
    “Oh really? Do your worst,” he responded provokingly. “You
and I both know that I would never help you.”
     
    “Not even to spare your girlfriend?” the crime boss asking
teasingly. “That pretty little thing who’s been following you around? Don’t
think we haven’t been watching. Your life belongs to us, Côté. You’d better get
used to it. I know you like to play the big shot, but if you have any real
sense in that big head of yours, you’ll give us what we want.”
     
    “And what’s that?” Mathis asked angrily.
     
    “Well, everything!” The crime boss drew the word out almost
in a sing-song way, and I could picture his arrogant smirk. He was obnoxious,
thinking he could control Mathis or take over any aspect of his life. Even
though it seemed like he had the power to make his threats a reality, every fiber
of my body wanted Mathis to just punch the guy in the face.
     
    “Why not ask for something a little more realistic?” was all
that Mathis came back with.
     
    It was clear at once that the mob boss thought that he was
getting somewhere. His tone became even more arrogant.
     
    “Oh, so you do have a soft spot for others,” he said
in mockingly sweet tone. “Thought it’d take you longer, knowing how stubborn
you can be, but I guess you’re a coward just like everyone else.”
     
    I seethed, and Mathis continued calmly, “Tell me what it is
that you want.” I felt sick at the thought that Mathis was giving in to this
disgusting scourge of humanity, but I couldn’t see any other way.
     
    “I want money,” the mob boss said bluntly. “You have so much
you probably wipe your ass with it.”
     
    “How much money?” Mathis said, his tone soft and even.
     
    “Finally seeing things my way?” I could hear his
overconfidence very clearly. “So much for the proud Côté who said he’d never
give us a dime.”
     
    “Well, I won’t,” Mathis said, his tone casual. I froze again
– what was he doing? He was going to make this guy do something crazy if he
kept provoking him.
     
    “What do you mean, you won’t?” the guy asked, his tone
turning even uglier than it already was.
     
    “I mean, I have no intention of lowering myself to deal with
the shit under my boot,” Mathis replied, “meaning, you, in case you missed
that.” I cringed – I was sure that Mathis was going to get himself killed. I
was furious at myself for staying to listen instead of going to get help. Maybe
if I did something crazy myself like jump in and act like nothing was going on,
it would help. I thought up of ways I could intervene, but I’d just be acting
like an idiot making the situation worse.
     
    “But you just asked me how much – we were negotiating,” the
crime boss said, sounding half menacing, half baffled.
     
    “I was just curious about how greedy you would be,” Mathis
said. “How much a little, ignorant asswipe like you would think he was entitled
to help himself to. I earned all my money through hard honest work. I
wouldn’t debase myself by giving it to someone who hasn’t earned anything for
himself.”
     
    “You son of a bitch!” the crime boss exploded. I jumped back
reflexively, and I half expected to hear a gunshot. He was clearly losing
control. Mathis was provoking him to lose control. What sort of game was he
playing? Did he want to get killed? Did he want the guy to raise his
voice so other people would come running? Even I knew that wasn’t possible –
the party was distant, and nobody was