Page 25 of Her Wolf

“The trust is to be released to you on your twenty-first birthday,” Nick said, and began taking more papers out of his briefcase. “In preparation, I need you to please sign these documents.”

Lars handed the stack of papers to her, and then Nick’s ballpoint pen.

“Uh…who do I sign as?”

Nick gave her a blank stare, and then waved a hand as he let out a small, tight laugh. “Cora Swan, of course. Everything is under her social security number.”

The lawyer busied himself in his briefcase while Cora stared over the table at him.

“What did you say?” she asked, having to clear her voice halfway through.

“What’s that?” Nick asked, blinking owlishly at her over the top of his spectacles. “Oh, everything’s under Cora Swan.”

She waggled the pen in his direction. “No, not that. The bit about the social security number.”

“What? Yes, well, we couldn’t put it under Eleo—”

“I’m legal?” She slapped the pen down. “I’m actually a legal citizen?”

Nick’s mouth worked. “Well…on paper, yes.”

“So… I could hop on a plane and go—”

Nick cut her off with a dry cough. “Uh…Ms Rivera, I would have to advise that you don’t—”

“But I could, if I wanted to?” Cora tapped a fingernail against the sheet with that fucking ridiculously large number on it. “I could take this, and go somewhere where no one knows me?”

Finn made a soft sound in the back of his throat. When she turned to him, he sat back in his chair and folded his muscular arms over his chest.

“What?”

He shook his head, closing his eyes a little as if to preclude himself from the conversation.

“I mean, it’s possible, right?” Cora spun to look at Lars, but he ate autonomously from his plate again, a thousand yard stare in his eyes.

“It is possible, of course,” Nick said, sounding reluctant to have to be the one to speak. “But dangerous. The paperwork is there, but anyone looking hard enough, long enough…they will most certainly find a crack.”

“I thought people changed identities all the time. People like me,” Cora said, dashing her fingers toward herself.

“You can change your identity, Ms Rivera, but are you willing to undergo plastic surgery to alter your appearance?”

More quiet. As if realizing he was eating too loudly, Lars swallowed his mouthful of food and pushed his plate away with a sigh.

“He’s right,” Finn said, sitting forward and resting his arms on the table. “If you’re in the system, all it will take is one camera at one airport.”

Cora slumped back in her chair. She tapped her pen against the heap of papers. “This is going to take a while.”

“I am happy to return, if that will be—”

Cora waved a hand at him. “You can stay here if you want. There’s enough room.” She rubbed her hands over her eyes.

“That’s very kind of you, Ms Rivera.”

When she took her hands away, Nick was still sitting there, looking expectant.

“There’s more?” she asked, her elbows thumping on the table. Her head was still spinning — what the hell else was this guy going to lay on her?

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to run through the current list of the cartel’s assets.” Nick glanced around the library. “I had requested for Mr Martin’s council to be present, but unfortunately he never came back to me.”

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