Page 85 of One Spicy Summer

She’s still in there. My firecracker. My feisty girl. And she’s mine.

Pulling up Rafe’s number, I hit call. Time to get the ball rolling. "Sup?" Rafe answers, casual as ever.

"Swing by my office. We got shit to handle."

"Oh, really?"

"And bring that little terror with you."

He laughs. "She’s gonna eat you alive for that."

"She wishes. Get your asses over here."

Just then, Jules pokes her head in, laptop under her arm.

"You got an email from Chuck, something about blueprint adjustments. I sent you a cleaned-up draft."

"You’re a lifesaver."

She smiles, surprised. "Thanks. You’ve also got two meetings tonight, Daniel and Humphries."

"I’ll be ready. Can you make sure everything’s in order? Rafe and Agatha are on their way."

"Sure thing."

After she leaves, I lean back and exhale hard. I have plans.

Big ones.

Ones that don’t leave any room for fuck-ups.

It’s time I trusted my team, let Chad and Paul handle the heavy lifting so I can focus where it really matters: Presley.

After she's finished with rehab, I'll give her all the letters I wrote but never had the balls to mail.

She needs to know I never stopped fighting for her.

I’m elbow deep in my work when Rafe and Agatha bulldoze into the room.

"This better be good," Agatha barks, already spoiling for a fight. "Don’t look at me in that tone," she adds when I shoot her a glare. "Spill it, Rygaard."

I shake my head, muttering, "God, you’re insufferable. Sit your asses down. This is important," I snap, motioning Jules to stay, too.

"You sure you need me?" she asks, wary.

"Positive."

I wait until they all shut up.

"What I’m about to say stays in this room. No exceptions." Their expressions harden, sensing the shift. "You two know I had a son," I say, voice like gravel. "But you don’t know why he’s dead."

I lay it all out, the drugs. The poisoning. Keifer’s betrayal. Presley’s hell.

When I finish, the room is thick enough to choke on.

"That motherfucker," Rafe roars, slamming a fist into the table.

"I’m gonna nail his balls to a fucking wall," Agatha growls.

---