Nancy’s POV
What an absolute disaster Marcus had turned out to be! We had orchestrated this operation down to the last detail, and the old fool couldn’t even follow basic instructions. And who was this wild woman who had beaten him to a pulp? Christ, there were Thorne family surveillance units patrolling the area! I needed to extract this pathetic excuse for a forr capo before we both ended up in body bags. I gunned the engine, pulled up beside the chaos, and laid on the horn. The idiot finally managed to break free from his attacker and stumbled into my car.
"Drive, Nancy! For the love of God, move! That psychopath is completely unhinged!" Marcus wheezed between labored breaths, looking like he’d been run over by a truck with blood streaming from his mangled nose. I couldn’t suppress my laughter.
"Who the hell was that woman?" I chuckled, taking in his pathetic condition.
"Zoe Miller, so corporate princess and your precious Dominic’s intelligence coordinator."
"A trust fund baby fighting like she’s fresh out of Rikers? Just when I thought I’d seen it all... She really worked you over." His disgusted expression as he examined his battered reflection in the visor mirror only made laugh harder.
"That lunatic shattered my nose! Get to a clinic, sowhere off the grid where no one from the family will spot us."
"Damn it, Marcus! Why couldn’t you just execute the plan as designed? You were supposed to wait for Dominic and stage an assault on . He would have gone ballistic seeing you attack , and I would’ve had the perfect opening to reel him back in by playing the helpless victim."
"Listen, sweetheart, nothing brings more satisfaction than getting under my son’s skin, but I’ve had unfinished business with that woman for so ti. I wanted to send her a ssage. I just didn’t anticipate her fighting like a caged animal with fists of concrete. Christ..." Marcus winced as he gingerly probed his split lip.
"Care to elaborate on this unfinished business?"
"Because she interfered with my operations and got permanently blacklisted from the organization." The venom in his voice was unmistakable.
"Well, I’ll be damned—she’s got more fight in her than most soldiers, certainly more than you!" I couldn’t help but respect this Zoe character, despite our circumstances.
"She’s nothing but a rabid attack dog!" Marcus spat with fury.
"You still should have stuck to the blueprint." My irritation with him was reaching dangerous levels.
"Yeah, whatever. We’ll circle back for your amateur theatrics another day. Right now, get dical attention."
I couldn’t let this slide. The operation would have been flawless. Marcus would corner in the parking structure, appearing to force himself on —his standard thod with won who spurned his advances. Dominic would witness the scene and charge in to protect from his father’s predatory behavior. One thing I knew with absolute certainty: he despised his father more than anything breathing. He’d co to my rescue, and I’d capitalize on the mont to seduce him, playing the traumatized, vulnerable damsel. He wouldn’t be able to resist my manipulation.
But this incompetent has-been had to sabotage everything, as always. This wasn’t his first ti undermining my sches. When I initially left Dominic to align with Marcus, I never imagined he’d prove so utterly worthless, surrendering all assets and control of the organization to Dominic. He claid he had no alternative because this Bee woman held damaging intelligence over him. Beyond limiting to an allowance that barely sustained the lavish lifestyle I was accustod to, he was unbearable to endure. He fancied himself irresistible to won, but he was just a repulsive old man who was hopeless in bed and lazy beyond asure. I only managed to tolerate him for so ti, and that was solely because he’d occasionally find other won to occupy his attention, granting blessed respite.
I was enduring this nuisance again purely because it served my agenda. Once I no longer required his services, Caleb would handle his disposal, and he’d be fertilizing soil six feet underground!
"I’ll take you to that discrete clinic near the safe house. It’s off the books. Not exactly five-star treatnt, but it’s untraceable and no one from the family will recognize you. My contact in legal says there’s a federal warrant with your na on it—you need to maintain a low profile."
"Yeah, I’m aware. Damn underground dical facility. My nose is going to heal crooked." His constant whining was insufferable, but that’s what he earned for crossing the wrong person.
We reached the dical facility, and fortunately, a nurse I’d cultivated was working the shift. I had a quiet word with her, slipped her so cash, and she placed Marcus in a secluded corner for treatnt without paperwork while she located a doctor. We waited in the ergency bay, where the treatnt areas were separated by curtains on the sides, but remained open at the front.
"Nancy! Nancy! Close the curtain, imdiately!" Marcus ducked low and stared at in panic.
"Handle it yourself!" I remained planted in my corner chair.
"Just close the damn thing, Nancy. That woman recognizes !"
"Which woman?" I surveyed the area and spotted three won nearby.
"The tall brunette with the updo. That’s Gemma’s mother."
"Gemma? Nick’s Gemma?" Just my rotten timing!
"Yeah, Gemma—Nick’s, Dominic’s, and mine." Marcus attempted to conceal his face.
"Stay put, old man, and wait for the doctor. I’ll be right back." I stood up, pulling the curtain closed behind .
"Where are you going?" I heard Marcus call as I departed, but I ignored him.
"Excuse ," I approached the nurse who was conversing with the howrecker’s mother. "Could you direct to where I might find coffee around here?"
"There’s a cafeteria on the third floor. You can take the elevator over there," the nurse indicated.
"I’m heading there myself if you’d like company," offered Gemma’s mother. Her helpfulness made my objective easier—I didn’t even need to manufacture a reason to initiate contact.
"Oh, absolutely, please," I displayed my most innocent deanor. "I always get disoriented in dical facilities, everything’s so sterile, all the hallways look identical."
"You’re absolutely right, they should incorporate so color into these walls, shouldn’t they?" She smiled warmly. Disgusting! I loathed genuinely kind people—such pathetic weakness.
"That would be so much more welcoming," I smiled back. "Do you work here?"
"No, but I’m here frequently. I’m a pharmaceutical sales representative."
"How fascinating. I’m here with my father, who took a fall and broke his nose, can you imagine?"
"Poor man! But aside from his nose, is he otherwise uninjured?"
"Yes, he’ll recover," I smiled sweetly. "I’ve been spending ti with him since I lost my position, but tis are challenging."
"I completely understand. What was your previous role?"
"I worked as a dental office coordinator, but the practice closed when the dentist died and they shuttered operations."
"Oh my! How terrible!"
A while later, I had established excellent rapport with this insufferably pleasant woman, and she even offered to assist in finding employnt. That could prove extrely valuable. We exchanged contact information and parted ways. Nick would be absolutely thrilled to learn about my new connection.
I returned to where I’d abandoned Marcus, discovering that the doctor had already examined him and was providing discharge instructions and a prescription. We exited the facility, with that pest still complaining endlessly.
"Hell! My nose will be permanently disfigured because they don’t have a qualified surgeon here."
"Enough, Marcus! When we successfully manipulate Dominic and you’re living comfortably sowhere in Europe, you can reconstruct that nose." His griping was testing my final nerve.
"You’re so touchy, Nancy." He glowered at . "Where did you disappear to anyway?"
"Building connections," I replied simply.
"You slut! You were probably screwing so doctor."
"Shut your mouth unless you want another visit to ergency care." I finally erupted, my patience completely depleted.
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