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Do not rip his fucking face off
Do not
I’ face off
Cooper found hi in his anger, forcing his features clean of reaction, because that would be what the prick wanted
“Iwoh she’s no Dana Kellerht you were a lucky son of a bitch to have caught that wohed “Maybe it’s the bar, Cooper Have you ever considered that? All those long hours It doesn’t really give you much time to look after your women the way they obviously need Otherwise they wouldn’t keep leaving you” He gave hiuessed was supposed to look fatherly And it did If fathers ate their offspring “I will h to start fresh, do so your time the way the bar does”
Jesus Christ
Cooper crossed his ar him “Is it stupidity?”
Devlin frowned “What?”
“You and your fucking persistence Is it stupidity or just sheer arrogance? I don’t knoyou now”—Cooper lowered his voice in warning—“I’ve just about reached the end of my tether with this shit”
Devlin gave another heavy sigh as he walked casually over to hiive you one last chance to accept my offer”
“And what exactly does thatme like you’ve threatened all the other people whose places you’ve stolen out from under them?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about And this is just a friendly warning”
What the hell was he up to?
Uneasiness settled over Cooper, but he didn’t let it show “You coht of your fucking life on your hands”
“Somehow I doubt it” Devlin leaned in to say quietly, “What you haven’t seeo around And I have it, Cooper You don’t”
It took everything within hi he possessed screamed at hihting for control, watching Ian Devlin swagger out of his bar with a s smile on his face
He was still standing staring out the door when Tremaine appeared in it
Eyebrows raised as he strode inside, he said, “Was that Ian Devlin I just saw?”
Cooper nodded tightly
Tremaine’s cold eyes narrowed “What did he want?”
Finally, Cooper h to walk back behind the bar He touched the bar top, worrying now about his future with it
“Lawson?”
He looked up at his neighbor “What the hell is Jessica doing at your place?” he blurted out
Trehed as he slipped onto a stool at the bar “Don’t tell me you believe those ridiculous rumors?”
“No, I don’t”
“Good”
“That doesn’t answer my question”
“The doctor said she had some business with Beckwith before she could leave She doesn’t have much money so I offered her my place to stay until she’s ready to leave I spenddeal”
“I still don’t get why”
Treave her time”
“Time for what?” Cooper scrutinized him Cooper had realized a while back that Tremaine wasn’t just the cool businessman he portrayed himself as to everyone else, but it shocked the hell out of hi to play Cupid here “To come back to me?”
His neighbor didn’t give him the truth one way or the other Instead he said, “What did Devlin want?”
The fury returned “It was a warning He gave me one last chance to accept an offer on the bar”
“One last chance? What does that mean?”
“He’s co after me”
Tre his eyes “You’re worried”
“He’s got the kind ofI have But that sneaky bastard is underhanded, and if he greases the right palms—”
“Cooper”
He stilled at the quiet way Tremaine said his name
He gave Cooper a dark smile “Don’t worry about it”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve got more money than ten Ian Devlins And I likeis”
A slither of reassurance h Cooper “Your boardwalk?”
Tremaine smirked “Better the devil you knoson Better the devil you know”
TWENTY-SEVEN
Jessica
Number 131 Providence Road was on the south side of Hartwell and it ran along the coastline The hoe there, and 131 was sohn’s in style The gardens and driveellhad been repainted recently, because it was pristine and fresh
I’d passed a For Sale sign as I drove up the driveway
One thirty-one Providence Road t rip his fucking face off