“Yes.”

“You’ve always got an angle, Titan. So, what is it this time? You want to bang her?”

Now was not the time to tell him I already had, and would again. I stayed silent.

He snorted. “Don’t want to tell me? That’s interesting.”

“Let’s just say my intentions are . . . good enough.”

“So that’s how it is,” he said and his eyes lit up. Con’s shoulders shook as he took his time laughing at me. “If there’s one woman I’m confident can take care of herself, it’s Yve. She’s liable to chew you up and spit you out. You deserve it.”

My instincts sharpened. “You know her well.”

“Better than you.”

Possessiveness gripped me. That cheap shot in the balls? If I’d regretted it even remotely, that regret was now gone.

Before I could respond, Con said, “Here’s a tip. If you try to buy that woman, you’re gonna do nothin’ but alienate her. I can promise you that.”

My hands balled into fists at my sides. “I think I could have figured that out on my own. You gonna give me anything else?”

His mocking mood snapped to something infinitely more serious. “Yve’s story ain’t mine to tell, but you better step carefully around her. We will fuck you up if you hurt her.”

I didn’t acknowledge his warning; my thoughts were on Yve. The odds of Con or anyone else in this building telling me what had happened in her past were about as good as the odds as Yve telling me herself. Zero.

“You wanna get in the ring? I owe you a cheap shot.”

“Maybe another day, Leahy. I’ve got better shit to do with my time,” I said and turned to leave.

“Didn’t peg you for a coward, Titan.”

I spun back around. “You can’t bait someone who doesn’t give a fuck what you think about them. I’ll see around, Leahy.”

“HE DID WHAT?” I YELLED into my phone.

“Ouch, girl. You’re gonna blow my eardrum,” Elle replied. “And yeah, Titan was here. Asking about you.”

“I’m gonna kill him. Gonna hunt him down and—”

“Whoa, hold up, Yve. Don’t tell me. That makes whatever you’re going to do premeditated.”

Of all the people I’d ever met, only Elle could make me laugh in any given situation. The woman was a total nut.

My chuckle came out more like a snort.

“That’s better. I’m only telling you because it just seemed out of character for him. And if we were talking about anyone but Lucas Fucking Titan, I’d say he’s into you. Like maybe for real.”

Whoa. Now it was time for Elle to hold up.

“Excuse me?”

“He was concerned and stuff. Wanted to know about the shop, and if we knew why you’d gotten spooked out of staying at your apartment.” Her tone turned cautious, and maybe a little reprimanding. “By the way, what the hell was up with that? Why didn’t you call me? Did it have anything to do with . . . him?” Meaning he who shall not be named, at least in Elle’s book.

I appreciated her caution when bringing him up, but first things first. “What did you tell him?”

“Nothing really. Except maybe that you found out Harriet was selling the place and you were looking to buy it. I hope you don’t care.”

I would have preferred Titan not know any details about my personal life, but apparently that ship had sailed.

“It’s fine. Just don’t share anything else with him. Not that you probably need to—I’m assuming he has the resources to find out anything he wants to know.” Although knowing how well my former father-in-law had covered things up with my ex-husband, it might even be a challenge for Titan to find. The proceedings were all kept closed, the records sealed. Money could buy you a lot of things in this town, including silence.

“So, are you going to tell me what the hell is going on? Did the voodoo doll you made not do the trick?”

Elle was referring to the voodoo doll I’d made of Jay the night Valentina had told me he’d been approved for parole. It had been one of those impulse things, something to make me feel better and take out my fear and frustration and anger on. It had helped, for that night at least. Elle had been her usual amazing self and hadn’t wanted me to be alone. And now here I was, home, in an apartment that no longer felt safe.

“Not exactly,” I said, finally responding to her question.

“Is there something you need to tell me about, Yve?”

I debated how much to say. I wanted to tell her everything, but I also wasn’t looking to lay my problems on Elle’s doorstep. I had to stand on my own two feet and deal with this myself, but I could share at least some of it.

“I think I’m just flipping out because I know he’s out, but I don’t know where he is.”

“Oh shit. That’s not cool.”

“No. It isn’t. And I think maybe I’m just jumping at shadows. I don’t know.”

“Look, babe. Trust your gut. If you think something isn’t right, chances are it’s not, okay? Don’t write something off as crazy just because you’re a little jumpy.”

Her advice was certainly solid. And I would take it—by being extra careful.

“Okay.”

“And promise you’ll be careful.”

“I promise.”

“And you’ll call me if anything freaks you out.”

I hesitated for a fraction of a second. This was my problem. “I love you, Elle.”

“Yve, don’t think I’m missing the fact that you didn’t promise.”

“’Bye, babe.”

“’Bye, hon.”

I hung up, feeling marginally less crazy, but a hell of a lot more pissed off. I had a visit to pay to Mr. Titan.

I felt like I was storming the castle as I screeched to a halt in front of Titan’s place.

Damn gate. He truly was a king behind his fancy wrought-iron fence, probably sitting up in his tower counting his billions and meddling in people’s lives like they were pawns.

I climbed out of the Blue Beast, stalked up to the intercom buzzer, and pressed the button. A familiar voice answered.

“Ms. Santos, lovely to see you this evening.”

Confused, I glanced around, looking for the camera.