Chapter One
Grey stood outside Darian’s home, ready to knock when the door opened. He grinned at the older man. “I can never sneak up on you, can I?”
Elder cleared his throat. “It’s nice to see you, sir. Mr. Marsh is in his office.”
Grey snorted. “And you never answer my question.”
“I’m sorry, sir,” Elder said.
Grey patted his shoulder. “No, you’re not.” He caught the butler’s mouth twitching and knew he was trying not to smile or, God forbid, laugh. It wouldn’t be dignified.
“Would you like a refreshment, Mr. Warner?”
Grey laughed. “Good move, change the subject.”
“I’ve no idea what you mean, sir.” His lips twitched again.
“My answer is no to the refreshment. I won’t be here that long.”
“Very good, sir.”
Grey walked to Darian’s open office door and knocked.
Darian looked up and smiled. “Ahh, the scary man dressed in black.”
Grey rolled his eyes. “What’s the big deal about wearing black?”
“It’s not the color. It’s the way you wear it, your rugged looks, and your scar. You could be a villain if you wanted to.”
“At least your little Larkin thinks that.”
Darian grinned. “She is the one who started it.”
Grey snorted and sat. He rubbed his thumb over the thin white line along with one of his cheeks, from the temple to his jaw. “Yeah, it still amazes me that I didn’t die that day.”
“I’m glad you’re alive. You’re one tough son of a bitch. It will take a tank to take you down.”
Grey chuckled. “Tell me why I’m here.”
“Armani Fowler.”
Grey immediately stiffened. He’d heard the name several times, and every bit of information he learned about the man was terrible. The fucker had a cousin in the mafia in the city, and he used that connection to do whatever he wanted. Grey had never met the man but still hated him after some of the things he’d heard.
“What about him?”
“I need a favor,” Darian said.
“Oh, shit.”
Darian held up a hand. “Listen first. You’re one person he doesn’t know because you’re new to the city, and you’re kind of a recluse. We got word from a maid in his house saying he was keeping a girl there against her will.”
Grey’s brows snapped together. “What are the cops going to do about it?”
“Nothing. They stopped to check, and the girl told them she wanted to be there. Since she’s an adult, they left.”
“If she was there against her will, Fowler probably terrified her into saying whatever he wanted. But I can guess that she couldn’t hide her fear. No one’s that good an actress. Didn’t they see that?”
“I would assume they did, but the word is that one of the cops has a family connection,” Darian said.