Page 117 of End Game

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” Ash said, slowing his approach. “Would you rather be left alone?”

She settled back, unaccountably happy to see him. “No, please sit with me. I feel like I’m going to burst from my skin.”

He eased his large frame onto the adjacent lounger. Rather than lie back, he sat facing her, a troubled expression on his handsome face.

“I understand the feeling.” He reached for her hand, where it still gripped the lounger’s frame. “The ladies took good care of you?”

She nodded. “They’re a formidable bunch.”

The deep lines in his forehead softened. “They are.”

Several seconds passed, and she watched burrows return to his forehead.

“What’s wrong?”

His free hand covered their clasped hands and his gaze fell to the mound of digits. A low, hard thud of anxiety reverberated in her chest, and she found herself sitting up again and turning to face him.

“What is it?”

The audible click of his swallow confirmed her fear. He had more unwelcome news and didn’t want to or didn’t know how to tell her.

”It’s okay, Ash. You can tell me.” This time she swallowed hard. “No matter how terrible the information.”

Five, four, three, two?—

“Rohan figured out who hired Seb Grimball to kill the governor.”

“Who?” she whispered, hoping Mason’s accusation about Service was wrong.

“A company called Gradient Enterprises.”

Kayla released a pent-up breath and she nearly collapsed against the weight of her relief. But then a pinprick of memory caught her attention, blossomed into a fully-realized conversation.

With Sybil.

About her son.

58

Ash saw the moment Kayla connected Sybil to Gradient Enterprises and what that meant.

All the color leached from her face and her breathing became more labored. Then she did something surprising.

Rather than rail at the Almighty or break into tears or isolate herself, she lifted her chin and stared into the night sky. She said nothing for several long seconds and soon her breathing returned to its normal rhythm and color entered her cheeks.

“You’re sure?” she asked into the silence.

“Positive.” He tried to catch her eye, but her gaze remained heavenward. “Can you think of any reason why Sybil would want the governor dead?”

“Dead? No. Removed from office, maybe.”

“Tell me.”

“One of the reasons people loved Vicky and why she made such an effective governor was her ability to mediate difficult issues. She could find that happy medium where both sides of the aisle felt as though they not only won, but also stuck it to the other side.”

“Sounds like an impossible feat.”

“For many in the political arena, it was. But not Vicky.” Her gaze slid from the diamonds sparkling above to focus on him. “It was a gift that oftentimes put her in conflict with Service’s tenets.”

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