Page 123 of Between Passion and Revenge: Part Two
Remember why you’re here.
“Storm Sandoval!” I shout over the clanking metal and heavy bass. With both hands on the handlebars, he pulls the weight for a lat pull-down. The muscles in his back flex, damn near glistening in the overhead fluorescents.
Our gazes catch in the mirror in front of him, and he continues to exercise with a slow, measured cadence.
“Good morning, Sweetness. You look beautiful today,” he says with an unbothered smile.
I stand taller, pulling on my anger.
“Storm, you and I need to have a serious conversation. I know what you did, and— Can youpleaseturn the music off and look at me?” I snap the last part, and much to my dismay, Storm continues pulling on the bar for four more reps before acknowledging my request.
After asking Google to turn the music off and dropping the weights with a gentleclank, he walks toward me, stopping a foot from my position.
“Okay, Sweetness,” he says, folding his arms over his chest. “What do you want to talk about?”
I open my mouth, all the thoughts jamming in my throat.
Storm raises an eyebrow.
“Want to talk about your bike riding form?” He tilts his head toward the Peloton in the corner, a replica of my own. “Or how about your dinner plans?” he asks, licking his bottom lip in a sensual slide.
“Storm,” I grind out.
“Oh, I know!” he says, face brightening. “How about we talk about your little stunt to steal my kids away to fuckingAfrica.”
He looks angry for a second, but then his face morphs into a look of…hurt?
“Fuck, Shae! Besides the fact that stealing away withmy kidsis fucked up, there’s the fact that it’sdangerousfor you—and for them—out there,” he says. I can tell he’s trying to gather patience and calm but seems to be failing.
“Storm, you need to be rational about this. You say there’s danger out there, but there’s danger in here, too. In fact, Iwouldn’t be in this situation if it weren’t for you and this goddamn Keystone deal.”
Storm stares, chewing on his bottom lip as he breathes heavily.
“Shae,” he says, sliding his eyes shut.
“I’ll hire more security. A whole team,” I say. That’s something I should have done a long time ago, but I always felt the only people who knew about my wealth were other wealthy people. Why would they try to hurt me because of what I have?
Clearly, a stupid assumption.
“Shae, it’s not about security. I just…I need you to stay here. There are too many uncontrolled variables out there,” he says, then takes a deep breath in and out.
“You have no proof there’s an imminent threat,” I throw out, and Storm takes a step back.
“Are you fucking with me right now?” he asks, and my brows come together. “Have you forgotten Versailles?”
I shake my head. “That was an isolated event, right?”
Storm looks at me as if I’ve gone mental.
“Baby, we need to get you some B12. Maybe some ginkgo biloba.”
My eyebrows draw together.
“What? Why?” I ask.
“Because your memory is shit,” he says, and I gasp, affronted. “Have you forgotten about Keystone? The people who are very explicitly trying to harm you? Have you forgotten everything I told you in your conference room or in your foyer or on the goddamn plane? Jesus, Shae. Iknowyou’re smarter than this!”
Thatpisses me off.
