All Chapters of Playing with the Enemy: Chapter 151 - Chapter 160

“You asked me to talk, right? I’m talking, Sir, but are you listening? No. You’re not. Do you know why?”I gaped at him, sitting up slowly.“Because you are under a spell. Mr. Malroy’s, most certainly – but that’s recent. You are under Mr. Ralis’ spell. You have always been.”I shot to my feet.Liam rose calmly, his gaze on mine.“Don’t bother. I’m leaving. Next time, don’t ask me to talk unless you’re willing to hear things you’d rather not.”And just like that, he had walked out. Smoothly. Like always. As if he had not just slung mud in my face.==========Now, in Dexter’s bathroom, I rinsed soap off and shut off the water.Messing with me, huh? I considered, my face darkening. Well, I’m done with that, I mused. I’m not going back to New York, Jayden. You’re going to finish what you started, I swore in my mind.I stepped out of the shower cubicle to find Dexter brushing his teeth.

Jayden’s POV.“We’ll be done by 2 p.m., then the airfield.”I nodded as I scanned the document from Reece. I signed it and handed the tab back to him.“Are you okay, Sir?”I halted mid-step. I turned to him. “What?”“Are you okay?” he repeated, his eyes steady. Fixed on me.I wanted to smile, but this was my secretary. I didn’t need to pretend so much with him.My facial muscles did not move.Why wouldn’t I be? I wanted to snap, but this was my secretary. I didn’t need to show that much of myself either.“I need grounding, Reece. I need your presence. Does that work for you?”“Yes, Sir. Always.”I nodded at him.“I may be distracted or distant in the coming days. I need you to be my shield on these trips.”“Do you want me to restrict Mr. Sinclair?”“No. I need you to keep me focused. Mr. Sinclair is a guest now. You and I are working. Keep me working. Okay?”“Yes, Sir.”

I glanced at where Dexter was supposed to be. The space was empty.I took the bet and went backwards, into the private room.Dexter was there, seated at the reading section.He glanced up as I entered. His wide eyes narrowed to normal size.“Mr. Malroy.”“Dex. You okay?”“It’s hard, Sir.”“Which part.”He exhaled. “I’m not sure,” he replied quietly.I moved to the bed. He turned to keep me in sight.I lay down and stretched out. “Nngh,” I groaned, closing my eyes. “He’s interesting, no?”He stared at me. I blinked at him.“He’s in love with you.”“No, he’s not.”“He doesn’t even know it.”“He’s not, Dexter.”“Sir, I don’t think I can keep up with this.”I held his gaze. He was slightly pale.I sat up, my back on the headboard, my legs stretched out.“You’re a friend, Dexter. This isn’t some competition where you need to claim first prize.”“That

Unless Leon had physical eyes on us, he would know nothing but what would be in hotel records.Our vehicle arrangements – who was in what car and where the car went – would not be available to him. Rina would make sure of that; even if his people infiltrated the systems of the service providers, our info would not be there.Since Ralis wanted to play, I would too. He would know what he wanted, my location, but I would manage to facts anyway I chose, and would limit his access as I pleased.CCTV footage would be controlled. My team would wipe anything we didn’t want third parties to see.The rooms we had selected would be fitted with jamming devices, and the staff that cleaned those rooms would be my people. They would take care of more than dust and dishes.Now, I had thirty minutes to get my mind right before I had to use words to either attack or defend against whatever was in Marcus’ head.I wasn’t going to waste a second of it.He

That’s what I was thinking right before he dashed off.Now, I was staring at the wide, floral lobby. It looked like a fucking lobby. The place was supposed to be a villa, but it may as well have been some fucking resort space, given the size of it.“Welcome, Mr. Sullivan. Mr. Mendes. Your rooms are upstairs; if you would follow me,” a man dressed in a butler’s outfit greeted warmly as I strolled in with Barry at my side.He had glanced at each of us as he said our names.“The fuck?” Barry remarked with a short laugh.The young man turned to him, and I knew, instantly, that Jayden had selected this person on purpose.I sensed Barry swallow. He had to. The man was his type. From A to Z: mid to late twenties, bright eyes, sculptured features, wide chest, broad shoulders. Tall.The man’s small smile said it all. A professional who knew the extent of his role and was prepared to fulfil every aspect of it.His blue gaze was back on m