Page 56 of Conquering Oz

Rogue stalked through the room, taking Quinn’s abandoned seat. He clasped his hands on his lap, eyeing Oz.

“You getting a little soft for my woman?”

Oz steeled his features. The word soft had never been in his vocabulary. “No.”

Trey smirked, taking a seat next to Rogue. “Not a bad thing, Oz. Especially when it comes to family.”

And that’s exactly who Quinn was…family. Since the arrival of Dahlia, they’d all been trying to navigate their new family. It had been foreign territory for all of them.

“How’d it go?” Trey asked.

“We got the recordings,” Oz said and gave them a complete rundown of their current situation. It wasn’t ideal with Karl’s whereabouts unknown, but at least they had the damning evidence in their possession.

“Now what?” Rogue asked.

Oz stood and buttoned his jacket. “We find Karl. I’ll be in touch.”

He started through the room when Rogue called his name. Oz glanced over his shoulder.

“Not gonna stay for a fucking drink?”

Oz glanced down at his watch. He was already running behind.

“No. I’m having dinner with Camille.” The meetings were few and far between for his former young protégé. But he’d been insistent on them. Camille might no longer be a part of the Underground, but Oz was very much invested in her.

He gave a short wave and walked out the door.

Chapter Ten

“I know you’ve been out of the game for a while, but” —Elodie cleared her throat, eyeing the man at the end of the bar. He’d been watching her since she sat down thirty minutes ago. She pressed the phone against her ear, and shifted her gaze to the wall of liquor, sighing— “three days is a lot, right?”

Sitting at a bar on a random Monday wasn’t exactly how she’d expected to spend her night. Elodie didn’t have much of a choice. This impromptu meeting was imperative for her finances.

Margot had made arrangements with a loan consultant. With her hours at the store and it being exam week for the girls, she’d worked almost every shift. Closing the store for even an extra hour would be detrimental to her finances. He’d agreed to meet her after hours, and she’d suggested meeting at a higher end bar, insisting it would be her treat. Elodie wasn’t above schmoozing him with cocktails to ensure her loan.I need this!

Elodie tightened her grip on her phone, listening to the soft giggle of her friend.

“Maybe he’s playing hard to get,” Madalyn teased.

With all she had going on with her finances, the lawsuit, and her business, the last thing she should’ve been giving any attention to was Oz.But here I am.

Elodie rolled her eyes. “I’ve already given him everything.”

“Everything? I knew you left stuff out.”

“You know what I mean.” Elodie sighed, grabbing her glass of wine and taking a sip.

“Maybe this is karma for ghosting the eighteen-year-old.”

“Twenty. Four.” Elodie ground her teeth. “That joke is getting old, Madz.”

“Older than Dalton?”

Elodie scowled. “I’m hanging up now.”

Madalyn chuckled. “Call me tomorrow and good luck. It’s gonna work out, Elle. I just know it.”

Elodie said goodbye and tapped the screen, ending the call. She noticed the time then glanced over at the door. The man she was meeting had texted he was running a little late, but this was pushing the threshold toward rude. Thirty minutes was excessive. But she’d wait as long as she had to. He was offering her an opportunity she needed.Beggers can’t be choosers.

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