Page 36 of Covert Affair

I’m not surprised that she makes smart choices with her money. But there is one thing I am worried about… “Waylon…does he have access to any of that money?”

I’ve seen both men and women drain every ounce of money from their significant others when things go south. And after all of this, I wouldn’t be surprised if he robbed her blind as a means to keep her under his thumb.

Stacey quickly shakes her head. “No. It was a source of contention in our relationship but we kept most of our assets separate. We only had one joint account that we paid mutual expenses out of like the house payment. No matter how much Waylon insisted on otherwise.”

“I wonder if the feds will seize the house in all of this. It’s tricky because you two aren’t married.”

“Thank God for that. They can have the house anyway. I never really wanted it in the first place. I went along with it because it felt like the next logical step.”

“I don’t trust that Waylon won’t try his damndest spin that somehow though so that too falls back on me.”

“Let him try,” I shrug. “I’m sure your lawyer and any judge worth their salt isn’t going to let him get away with it.”

She quirks a brow. “I think you’re really underestimating him. I’m not even sure that I trust my lawyer at this point because Waylon has a way of buying people off. Jane…Jane’s the only person that I know can’t be bought. She’s hated Waylon since the moment I met him. Hindsight, I probably should have listened to her.”

“I can’t be bought either. Trust me when I tell you that Waylon should be worried about underestimating your old friend.” I tell her with the utmost confidence.

“Oh. And what old friend would that be?” she shoots me a playful smirk, which is a stark improvement from the sadness that’s been etched on her face since two nights ago.

I grin back at her. “Me.”

“What have you been up to, Cody? Shouldn’t you be letting the FBI handle this now?”

“Just a little recon, that’s all.”

“Promise me you’ll be careful. I don’t trust Waylon, at all. If he somehow finds out that you’re involved, he may come for you too.”

“You have my word. I need you to trust me.”

Stacey grumbles and takes another bite of her eggs before she replies. “You know I do.”

After we finish eating, she spends the morning on the phone with Jane and her lawyer doing what she needs to do while I shower and make some calls of my own.

When I come out of my bedroom around 2 o’clock in the afternoon, Stacey’s standing at the kitchen counter grimacing at her phone. There’s two plates with sandwiches sitting in front of her.

“Everything okay?” I ask and accidentally startle her.

She smacks a hand over her chest and squeals. “Jesus.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”

“It’s fine,” she says, brushing me off. “I got hungry so I helped myself. I made you one too,” she adds and slides a sandwich in my direction.

“Thanks. You still didn’t answer my question. When I walked out here you looked like you were ready to throw your phone.”

“Waylon called. From prison, I guess.”

Now she’s not the only one who wants to throw her phone, though I’d like to throw it right at the asshole’s head.

“He’s left a message, begging me to forgive him. Asking me to pay him a visit..”

“You’re not going to, are you?”

There’s absolutely nothing I can do to stop her, but that doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it or keep my mouth shut.

“I can’t,” Stacey says with a shake of her head. “I already stayed too long as it is. I let myself stay in a shitty situation. At some point, I need to go get my things, but that’s it.”

Relief floods me and I send up a silent prayer that she’ll remain strong and true to her words.

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