Chapter Twenty-Two

Eli

"What do you want, Banks?"

I stand in the middle of his office, which is clad in black and glass.

Isaac turns his back to me as he pours a glass of port from the bottle on the shelf.

"Drink?" He offers me the glass. "You might want something stronger than champagne."

"I don't need a drink to have a conversation with you," I tell him. "Besides, I doubt this will be a long conversation."

"Really?" He takes a sip from the glass and sits down on the leather couch. "You won't even sit?"

I turn to him. "You know I don't play games, Banks. Now, get straight to the point. Or I will."

"Ooh. Scary." Isaac takes another sip. "I see your tactics haven't changed. You still think scaring people is the best way to get what you want out of them."

"As opposed to hiding in the shadows and pulling strings."

He laughs. "Why not? It's more fun."

My jaw clenches. "Fine. I'll go first. Stay away from the Hardy farm."

"Ooh. You really care about that woman, don't you?" He stands up. "Why? She doesn't look at all like Meredith."

I glare at him. "Say her name one more time and - "

"Oops." Isaac raises his hands. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I forgot you don't like to be reminded of your loss."

I keep my narrow gaze on him.

"This new girl, Quinn..." He leans on his desk. "She's quite simple, though, isn't she? Just a simple farm girl. Now, what do you see in her? Maybe she's good in bed? Or shall I say for a roll in the hay?"

My hands roll into fists. "Don't you dare talk about her, either."

Isaac gives a sickening laugh.

"I'll only say it one more time. Stay away from the Hardy farm. And the Hardys."

"Or?" He swirls the port in his glass. "Are you going to kill me like you did Perry Gardner?"

I tense.

"Or are you going to steal my wife like you did to Jeremy Jenkins? Oh, but I'm sorry. I don't have a wife. Maybe you're just going to hack into my financial accounts and steal all my money?"

That last one sounds tempting, but no. "Let's just say that if you don't do as I say, you'll never fulfill your goal of surpassing me. Not that you have any chance at the moment."

Isaac laughs. "How boring. And really? You think I have no chance of surpassing you? Do you really underestimate me so much?"

He moves closer to me.

"For all you know, my pawns may already be in place. One day, you might just wake up and it will be checkmate."

I narrow my eyes at him. "Is that a threat, Banks?"

"A warning." He grins.

"I'm not scared of you."

Isaac goes back to the couch. "Really, Eli. Why do you like that farm so much? It's just a piece of land, and the Hardys aren't even making good use of it. Or wait, you're not planning to take it for yourself, are you?"

An idea comes to mind.

"I am, so leave it alone."

"Oh no." He shakes his head as he sits. "Now that it's business, I feel like I want it even more."

My fists clench as my idea backfires. I should have known he wouldn't back down, and yet he managed to taunt me into believing that possibility. Asshole.

"We're done talking," I tell him as I head to the door.

This conversation isn't going anywhere, and if I stay here any longer, I might end up killing the man.

"Leaving already?" Isaac says behind me. "And here I thought things were just getting interesting."

"Your tricks won't work on me, Banks," I tell him without glancing back.

"I know that. But maybe they'll work on her."

Her? What is he talking about?

As soon as I open the door, I understand. Quinn is standing just outside, and from the look on her face, from those eyes on the verge of tears and that trembling pout, it seems as if she's heard every word of my conversation with Isaac.

And before I can explain, her palm falls across my face with a loud slap.