Page 94 of The Woman

Chapter 38

Phoenix

It’s an odd feeling being back at work as if nothing has changed.

As if the world I live in isn’t an illusion created by those who don’t want WOUNs to roam free.

As if my father is still the man I thought he was.

As if I didn’t just spend four days losing my mind when I didn’t have Avery with me.

But somehow, having answers to many questions that I didn’t even really know I had has me feeling more at ease than I would have thought. It also helps to know that we aren’t alone in all of this and that there is someone on the inside looking out for WOUNs.

Avery has been glowing ever since meeting the other women out there and has had a peaceful air about her. We stayed for a meal as promised last night, and then my father brought us back to the city.

“Glad we’re in agreement,” my grandfather says from across his desk, bringing my mind back to the meeting in his office. He looks especially cocky today. His aging self is buried away for the sake of his business image.

Mark lifts his mug filled with coffee from the desk and takes a long sip while turning his attention to me.

“I had an interesting conversation with Jonah the other day,” he states, looking more amused than anything else. “Seems you’ve made quite the impression on him.”

“Oh?” I remark, remaining unfazed.

I note my grandfather’s scowl turn toward me out of the corner of my eye, probably ready to lash out if it appears I’ve acted inappropriately. But then his phone rings, and he excuses himself to answer it and walks toward the window.

“He seems to think you had something to do with his latest deal falling through.” Mark’s brow rises in question as he waits for me to answer.

“That’s quite the influence he’s suggesting I have. Why would I have any interest in his business?”

A smirk pulls at his lips. “Listen, I don’t give a fuck what you did to him. He’s a small man with a small mind. Always scrambling to chase after the big guys.” After placing his mug back on the desk, he pulls his suit jacket from the back of his chair. “The only reason I keep him around is because I have certain proclivities that involve two women at once, and he gives me his woman to have sex with whenever I like.”

Mark winks at me and rises to his feet just as my grandfather ends his call and joins us again. I can’t tell if I’m more surprised by his admission or the fact that he knew about my interaction with Jonah and couldn’t care less. Either way, that’s good information to have.

“What’s this about Jonah and Phoenix?” my grandfather asks, flicking his gaze between us.

“Nothing important,” Mark replies, gathering a few of his papers and laying his jacket over his arm. “Jonah is easily intimidated.” Reaching across the desk, he shakes my grandfather’s hand and then mine. “I’ll call next week about my personal project.”

I walk with him to the door, intending to return to my own office, but my grandfather calls to me right before I walk through, halting my steps. I pull the door shut after Mark leaves and take a couple of steps back toward his desk. He’s probably still interested to hear about what happened with Jonah.

I blow out an inaudible sigh and cross my arms, waiting for his questions.

“I’ve been informed that Avery has been returned to you now.”

I stare at him, blinking a few times as the words he just said run through my head, once, twice. How the fuck would he even know she was gone or that she was supposedly returned?

Unless . . .

“I gave you a chance to do the right thing,” he says, sitting at his desk and clasping his hands together in front of him.

A whooshing sound fills my ears, and I feel the rush of anger start in my head, then it makes its way through my body until every muscle and every limb is completely tense. My folded arms drop, and I grip the back of the chair to keep myself grounded, my knuckles turning white with how tightly I’m clutching it.

“You knew.”

“I saw her playing the piano on your laptop when you stepped out and left it open one day,” he replies.

Pain shoots through the inside of my cheek when I sink my teeth into the flesh there. That was the day I found out what she was and went home to confront her, carelessly leaving my laptop open. Thomas had told me my grandfather went into my office, but when he didn’t confront me, I assumed he didn’t see it. I ruled him out as being a possibility in all of this because of it.

“I didn’t immediately call them because I wanted to give you the chance to find out for yourself if you didn’t know and take care of it yourself, quietly. I had hoped that forcing you to bring her to that meeting would encourage you to do it sooner rather than later if you were aware. But when we were there, I could tell that you did, in fact, know about her and that you hadn’t dealt with it, nor did it appear that you would. It was a test of sorts, and you failed. Fortunately, your work has been even better than it was before.”

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