Page 104 of Desperate Actions

“I own part of the company.”

I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.

“You own a piece of Volkov?” my father asks, his brows skyrocketing.

Sammy leans back, totally unfazed.

“I’m sure you’ve run a background check on me, Mr. Fury. You probably didn’t recognize the company name I use for my business holdings.”

His hazel eyes glint.

“Maxwell Mining.”

The room shifts.

My father stills.

Andres grins.

Ellie and Mom are looking back and forth.

“Maxwell Mining?Youare Maxwell Mining?”

Dad’s voice dips low, and I see it.

Recognition.

He knows something about my husband that I don’t.

And I’m not sure how to feel about that.

“I do,” Sammy says and nods once.

“No business talk at the table,” Ellie interjects, voice light but firm. “Come on, it’s time for dessert.”

And fuck—I have never been so grateful for an interruption in my entire fucking life.

“Sammy,” I begin, but he squeezes my hand and shakes his head.

“Later, Pixie. I’ll tell you everything you want to know about me later.”

“Okay.”

Dessert is a delicious chocolate cake dripping with ganache and fresh raspberries on top.

It’s decadent and delicious, and I have mine with an espresso and a drop of Anisette.

By now the men are all talking lowly and Ellie and Mom are hinting about the reception they want to throw.

But I can’t think of any of that right now because I just learned that Sammy is responsible for Volkov Industries funding my app.

And I need to know why.

Chapter 25-Sammy

The air between us is thick, charged—like the pressure in the atmosphere before a storm.

Aella is quiet on the ride home, staring out the window, her arms wrapped around herself. Her mind is turning, working through everything that happened at dinner, but she doesn’t ask a single question.