Page 115 of Ramsey & Emerson

“Mr. Hope,” I greeted back.

“Well, by now, I’m sure you’ve heard of what we’re dealing with,” he said, not wasting any time with frivolities.

“I’m aware.”

“Well, we were hoping that we can count on you to help us contain this situation,” he said, surprising me a bit.

“Of course,” I almost stammered. “What…whatever I can do.”

“Adrian Cossacks had been in charge of two very impactful projects, and it would help tremendously if you could make some time to fit them into yourschedule,” he said, and while he’d worded it to sound like this was teamwork at its best, I knew an order when I heard one. After all, I’d been married to Ramsey for twenty-five years.

“Absolutely,” I replied, agreeing without even knowing what these projects were.

He gave me a terse nod before saying, “I will send everything over within the hour.”

Before I could say anything more, Mr. Hope turned, then walked back the way that he’d come over, ignoring everyone else on the floor, which told me a lot. Normally, while serious, Mr. Hope was never rude to the people that he worked with. He was very aware that all of us were the legwork that made things happen, so he always treated us with respect.

As soon as Mr. Hope disappeared around the corner, Corrine was back at my side. “Wow,” she muttered. “That felt intense.”

“We’re an entity that’s supposed to protect children,” I reminded her. “It’s going to be a stressful clusterfuck to try to explain how they let Adrian Cossacks sneak by.”

Corrine winced. “Yeah, I wouldn’t want to be the person that has to explain that one.”

“Look, I have to get to my office,” I told her. “I have no idea what these two projects consist of, so I’m going to have to restructure my priority list.”

“Good luck,” she mumbled before heading back to her desk, and I was definitely going to need it.

In fact, I was going to need a goddamn miracle.

Chapter 27

Ramsey~

“You know, statistically speaking, it’s impossible for us all to win every time. Sooner or later, one of us is going to have to pay the price for this family’s arrogance.”

“And if that time ever comes, then we’ll handle it like we do everything else,” I replied smoothly. “We’ll take care of it as a family, all of us.”

Dash eyed me from across my desk. “The odds are still stacked against us.”

“I can handle whatever odds that life throws my way as long as your Aunt Emerson is with me,” I told him truthfully. “As is the same for all the men in this family.”

“I told her to go easy on you yesterday,” he confessed.

I smirked. “Why?”

“Because now that the entire family knows what’s going on, it’s getting harder and harder to keep Crew and Lennon from interfering,” he replied bluntly. “I figured that Aunt Emerson might take pity on you if it was one of us begging her.”

“Well, I’m going to tell you like your aunt told R.J. and Mad, it’s none of your business.”

Dash’s green gaze narrowed a bit. “Everything about this family isallof our business,” he replied, saying the same thing that R.J. had admitted to saying to Emerson yesterday.

“Don’t you have some groveling that you need to do?” I drawled out, rubbing salt in his arrogant wound, needing to get back to work.

“Not funny, Uncle Ramsey,” he replied dryly.

Just then, the door to my office opened, and when we both looked over to see who it was, Dash immediately grabbed his shit to leave, our meeting over. Emerson was making her way across the carpet, and I didn’t have to guess why she was here. By now, Cossacks’allegedcrimes were flooding the news and internet, and if he wasn’t arrested by the end of the day, I’d be surprised.

“Aunt Emerson,” Dash greeted, stopping just long enough to lean down to place a kiss on her left cheek.

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