Page 107 of Save Me

“One more thing, before I let you go,” I say. “Is there any reason the food critic Richard Wright would have to claim that you’ve bribed him to give La Vie favorable reviews for the past two years?”

Blackmon’s eyes bulge so wide that I want to tell him to be careful or he’ll pop a socket.

“You …” He peters off and glares at me. After a few beats of silence, he starts to laugh. “That is what this whole thing is about.”

He wags a finger at me. “I knew that snake was up to something.”

“Excuse me?” I ask.

“Do not play dumb with me, Ms. Kennedy.” He leans into the table, hands clasped in front of him. “You’re helping him, aren’t you?”

“Helping who?”

“Dae Kim. This is why you’re investigating me. Trying to build more evidence to feed to him to get me kicked out of the Global Group.”

He rises from his chair and begins pacing back and forth.

“I knew that sneaky bastard was up to something.”

I don’t say anything. I’ve heard of the Global Group, an international realty company, I believe. I have no awareness of Dae’s affiliation with the company. More importantly, Dae told me he no longer has any business affiliation with Blackmon.

Did he lie to me?

Finally, I ask, “What are you referring to?”

“Don’t act like you don’t know, Kennedy. Your boyfriend tried to have me kicked out of this joint venture deal, and I refused to back off. So now he’s having his reporter girlfriend do his dirty work?”

He shakes his head and clicks his tongue. “What’s the matter? You didn’t think you were the only one able to do research, did you? I know your relationship and how you got this position.”

“What the hell did you just say?” I demand, my voice darkening.

He smirks, and my hand balls into a fist because the urge to punch the cocky look off his face rises in me.

“Blake Madison is a member of the Black Opal.”

Blake Madison is the Vice President of the news division at Regal. I ran into the same VP a few months ago on the elevator, which made me question whether my father had something to do with my getting hired here.

I shake my head because what Blackmon’s implying can’t be true. Dae couldn’t have had anything to do with me getting my job.

Shrugging off the thought, I lift my chin, meeting Blackmon’s stare. “I earned my position here at The Regal fairly. But the same cannot be said about the reviews you’ve received at La Vie.”

His eyes narrow, and I know I’ve hit him where it hurts. I decide to thrust the knife deeper.

“And once I have all of the evidence I need to prove what you’re really using those charities at your church for and why Erika Dalton killed herself at one of your chains, the world will know exactly the type of person you are.”

“You fucking—”

I stand from my chair. “I’m sure you know where the exit is. Or do you need security to help you out?” I glare at him.

He rises from his chair, his face red with anger. “This isn’t over,” he threatens.

I look him in the eye, saying, “Not by a long shot.”

He wordlessly exits the room, face beet red with anger. I know he thought he would throw me off my game by coming here.

If anything, his visit only proved that he has secrets he doesn’t want to be exposed. I’m on the verge of uncovering them. If what Nicole told me about his church network and how he and other business associates use them to essentially force child labor, I’ve got this bastard.

I’ll expose his secrets.

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