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Griffin

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“Can someone call the police?” Marco Tresoni’s strangled voice barely escapes past the hand pinned to his neck.

My hand.

As soon as I left Gabriel’s office, I headed to Marco’s. I know Piper is going to stop at the police precinct to fill them in on who robbed her, but I wanted in on the action.

“This is assault, Kent.”

The mention of my surname by the man parading around Manhattan using my identity is enough to make me shove my fist into the wall next to his head.

“You piece of shit,” I seethe through clenched teeth. “I know it was you. You’re the son of a bitch who robbed Piper and left my card on the floor. You told her you were me.”

He laughs. The red-faced clown laughs. “You heard about that? Now, that was some grade A pussy.”

My stomach rolls with the mental image of his dick inside Piper. I have to close my eyes to ward it off. “She’s on her way to the police station now. You’re going down for this.”

“I did go down,” he hisses back. “If Morgan tasted half as good as Piper, I’d still be married to the bitch.”

I’m not Morgan’s biggest fan, but there’s no place in my world for men who talk shit about women. I squeeze my hand tighter coaxing a stifled sound from his throat.

I look behind me to where three women have gathered to watch me school Marco. They all flash me smiles which I take as reassurance that no one has dialed 9-1-1.

“Why use my name?” I push him harder against the wall. “Why leave my card behind?”

“I didn’t plan it.” He tries to push me off him, but it’s useless. “I stopped at your office a few days before to try and talk reason with you but you were busy. The receptionist gave me your card.”

I raise both brows in silent invitation for him to keep talking.

“I wasn’t going to use my real name to pick up a woman at that club, so when I felt your card in my pocket, I went with that. Kent. I never told her my name was Griffin Kent.”

What the fuck ever.

“You left the card on the floor.” I accuse with another crush of my hand around his neck. “Why do that? You wanted her to end up at my office.”

“Why the hell would I want that? You’d lead her straight back to me.” He shakes his head. “It must have fallen out of my pocket when I pulled the condom out.”

It’s one excuse after another with this bastard.

“You took her stuff, Marco.” I feel my jaw tighten. “You took her wallet and her phone.”

“I have a problem.” His face turns beet red. “I’m in therapy. Morgan knows.”

He has a whole host of problems at the moment. “What problem?”

“I get a rush when I take stuff.” His gaze darts to the door of his office. “It’s been a compulsion for years.”

“Oh my God.” One of the women behind me screams out. “Are you the one who stole my wedding ring? Was that you?”

I push him closer to the wall. “Answer her.”

He nods, his voice escaping quickly. “I did it. I took the ring, Gloria’s tablet, that silver pen that Marilyn got for her birthday.”

“You lying bastard.” I feel a pair of hands on my arm. “Let me at him. I’ll kill the jerk.”

“I’m an attorney. I strongly advise against murder.” I look down into the warm brown eyes of a woman who is older than me. “Let the police handle it. I’d much rather see Marco’s ugly face in a mug shot than your pretty one.”

She smiles. “I’ll make the call and thank you.”

“My pleasure.” I loosen my grip on Marco’s neck. “This was all my pleasure.”

***

“This is my boss.” Piper wraps her arm around the shoulder of the woman I met a few weeks ago. “Bridget Beckett. Bridget, this is Griffin Kent.”

Bridget reaches out her hand. I take it because it’s expected but also because I can see by the look on Piper’s face that this moment means a lot to her.

“You’re the man who bought Piper’s sketch.” Bridget smiles warmly as she tugs her hand from mine after a firm shake.

“Sketches,” I correct her. “I’ve purchased several of Piper’s sketches.”

Piper throws Bridget a knowing glance. “Griffin actually bought some of my sketches to give to Sem Jansen.”

“I heard that you arranged that night for Piper. It was such a gracious thing to do.”

It was selfish. I wanted to give her a gift that trumped every other gift she’s ever received. I believe I did that. “Piper deserved it.”

Bridget studies my face before she looks over at Piper. “I feel some tension here. I’m not imagining that, am I? There’s more to this than a student and his teacher.”

I wait for a beat for Piper to respond, but it’s obvious the question took her by surprise. I answer because I want this woman to know exactly what’s going on between us. “We’re seeing each other.”

Bridget’s face lights up in glee as her gaze volleys between Piper’s face and mine. “Piper, you didn’t say anything. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Piper tosses me a look before she turns to face her boss. “It’s new. It’s still really new.”

Bridget reaches forward to grab my forearm. “You’ll come to the staff dinner at my house with Piper on Sunday.”

I look to Piper for guidance but she’s staring blankly at Bridget. “I’m on board. Tell me where, when and what I need to bring.”