Page 62 of Trial of Deceit

“Look at what you’re doing.”

“Providing desired goods that are hard to obtain?It’s called taking money from rich people to make myself richer.”

Ashari stood.Crossing her arms, she walked toward the whiteboard Reine had been writing on.Everything was already erased, but when Ashari stared hard enough, she noticed faint outlines of numbers and graphs.She dug deep into her memory, her nails digging into her arm as she tried to remember all they’d been discussing.

That was harder to do than she realized.

And it sucked because she had no recordings to reference for later that night.

Ashari thought hard.Finally, she said, “The chain of wholesales is a pyramid scheme.”

Jediah laughed.Ashari’s nails stopped biting into her skin once she looked over her shoulder at him.

“How?”he asked after getting a hold of himself.“It’s a legitimate chain of wholesales, with a few supermarkets here and there, owned by the Swabys, and I’m the only stakeholder — a silent one, might I add.Why mi wouldascammiself?”

“I don’t know.But your monetary deposits don’t add up, so either this is a pyramid scheme—”

“That’s not how a pyramid scheme works,” Jediah interrupted and reached for the cigar.

“Or, Reine doesn’t know what she’s doing.”

“Careful, Ashari,” Jediah said, his eyes narrowing at her.“A queen can be replaced.”

Her throat dried.Goose bumps spread across her skin.“What?”

Ashari’s frightened eyes made Jediah smirk as he stood.He moved toward the door.He opened it, then stared at Ashari.Mischief was in his eyes and a cunning smirk on his lips.“Your move.”

Jediah’s grip was tight around her wrist as he dragged her through the back entrance of one of his many car marts.Her heelsclackedagainst the floor as he led her through various hallways, barely giving her time to scope out her surroundings.There was chatter drifting from beneath closed doors along with the loud, grating of metal on metal, though Ashari couldn’t tell where the sound stemmed from.

“Slow down,” Ashari hissed as he dragged her down another hallway of closed doors and loud noises.

“No.Me a go late,” Jediah replied.

They entered the lavish main room.The ambiance of the white and black showroom was accentuated by white ceiling lights, amplifying the radiance of new cars and the sparkling jewelry of customers.Chatter from customers and workers drifted about as they finally stopped before a door, which Jediah pushed open.He allowed her to enter the office before he did.Nothing seemed out of the ordinary here.It reminded her of his office back home with a chess board on a table in the corner.Unlike the stuffy office back at the wholesale, she could tell that Jediah actually spent time here.

“Late for what?”she asked, dragging her fingers through her braids, which flowed down her back.

Jediah sat behind his desk.He dug around in a drawer before removing a case of cigars and taking one from it.He clutched it for a few seconds before finally lighting it.“A meeting with—”

Ashari blocked out Jediah’s voice once she heard new voices approaching the door.Her eyes widened.Before she could think the idea through, she rushed toward Jediah and forced herself beneath the desk.

Jediah pushed the chair back, giving her more space while he looked down at her.“Wa y—”

“Mr.Richardson,” came the voice of a woman, accompanied by a knock.“Your two o’clock is here.”

“I’m sorry about earlier,” Ashari said, doing her best to make her voice steady despite the panic threatening to take full control of her tone.She ran her hands up his thighs, stopping once she got to his belt.“Me know you curious ’bout why me did a question you, but a ’cause me can’t help it.I’m with you, Jediah.I want you.”

His eyes narrowed on her.He hissed his teeth while he looked away to take a puff from his cigar before putting it in the ashtray.“We naa have this conversation now.”

“How about we have it after I suck your dick?”she asked.

Jediah choked as his eyes widened at her.“What?”he forced out as another knock came.He didn’t halt her hands, but his eyes widened as they began undoing his belt.

Ashari gave him a shy smile.“Focus on your meeting.”

Jediah swallowed hard as Ashari reached for his zipper.As her fingers continued to work, he pushed the chair inward, trapping her beneath the table.It was mostly dark, but Ashari didn’t need light for what she was about to do.

Jediah called for the guest to be allowed into the room.

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