“Marcus,” Tobias says, his voice dripping with smug civility. “It’s been far too long.”
1/2
Under His Skin
Chapter 20: Paige–2
“Not long enough,” my father’s voice replies, crisp and cold. The sound of it sends a shiver down my spine, and I stiffen in my seat. “What is it you want. Tobias? I don’t have time for games.”
Tobias chuckles softly, a sound that makes my stomach churn. “Straight to business, as always. Fine by me.”
There’s a pause, and then Marcus speaks again, his voice sharp and cutting. “Is Paige still in the room?”
Tobias’s smirk widens, and he leans back in his chair, the phone resting lightly in his hand. “Of course not. She’s been taken away so we can speak freely. You know how these things go- no distractions.”
My stomach twists, confusion flaring through me. What is he talking about? I’m right here. I glance at the men around the table, searching for any sign that this is some kind of tactic, but their expressions remain neutral. Even Jaxon doesn’t so much as blink.
“I see,” Marcus says after a moment. “Then let’s get to the point. What do you want this time?”
Tobias’s smirk doesn’t falter. “What I’ve always wanted, Marcus. Ownership of the north side. Complete control. But now…” His gaze flicks to me, sharp and cold. “Now, I want Paige too.”
My heart stops. The words hang in the air, each one heavier than the last.
“No,” Marcus says immediately, his tone firm, dismissive. “You can forget that part. It’s not happening.”
“Come now,” Tobias says smoothly, leaning forward. “She’s proven herself invaluable, hasn’t she? Her skills. Her intelligence. She’s far more useful than I gave her credit for.”
“She’s not a bargaining chip,” Marcus snaps, his voice cutting through the room. “She’s-” He stops himself, his tone shifting to something more calculating. “She’s irrelevant.”
“Really?” Tobias drawls. “I disagree. She’s been in every meeting, translating, negotiating, mediating. She’s heard it all. And she’s good at it. Too good to throw away, don’t you think?”
Marcus is quiet for a moment, the silence stretching taut over the room. When he speaks again, his tone is colder than before. “If she were that good, we wouldn’t be in this situation, would we?”
The words hit like a blow, knocking the breath from my lungs. I sit frozen, the realization sinking in with each passing second.
“She failed,” Marcus continues, his voice sharp and deliberate. “And her failure has put us in this position. But no, Tobias. You can’t have her. The deal is no one does.”
Tobias raises an eyebrow, his smirk fading slightly. “What exactly are you suggesting?”
“I’m suggesting,” Marcus says, his tone as calm as ever, “that she be eliminated.”
The world tilts on its axis, my chest tightening as the words register. Eliminated. My own father.
“No.” I whisper, the word barely audible. I’m about to speak again, to scream, when hands clamp down on me from behind.
I gasp as two men–brutes, their grips like steel–pull me roughly out of my chair. One presses a massive hand over my mouth, muffling my cry, while the other pins my arms to my sides. My eyes widen, panic surging through me as I struggle, but their grips are unrelenting.
Tobias doesn’t even glance at me. He’s too focused on the conversation, his lips curling back into a smile. “You mean to tell me, Marcus,” he says, his tone almost amused, “that you’re suggesting we kill her?”
“No,” Marcus says, his voice hard. “I’m telling you. I’ll do it myself.”
A muffled sound escapes me, desperate and wild. My legs kick uselessly, my mind screaming for air, for answers, for anything to stop this. But no one looks at me. No one moves.
Tobias chuckles softly, shaking his head. “Such ruthlessness. I almost respect it.” He pauses, his eyes narrowing slightly. “But don’t think for a second that you’re calling the shots here, Marcus.”
I thrash harder against the hands holding me, my muffled cries filling the air as Tobias continues, his voice calm, smooth, like none of this is happening.
“I have her now,” Tobias says simply. “And I’m not in the habit of giving up what’s mine.
My heart pounds against my ribs, my breath coming in short, panicked bursts as the weight of the words settle over me. I’m trapped. A pawn in a game I can’t win.
And the only man who could save me–my own father–just signed my death warrant.
