Page 67 of Between Passion and Revenge: Part Two
“Here we fucking go,” Axel grumbles.
Here we fucking go, indeed.
“Lakeland,” I say, going for a neutral tone.
There’s silence on the other end of the line, not even the ever-present sound of waves hitting the shore that would alert me to his surroundings.
“Nephew,” he finally says. “It’s been an eventful week, has it not?”
I look at Riale and Axel.
“Indeed, it has. Listen, about Keystone. I’m still working on it. I made good headway with Kenyon Braxton, but there’s probably one more conversation I need to have before all the roadblocks are clear,” I say.
“There’s something about going home that just…fills the soul,” Lakeland says, sounding wistful and ignoring my statement. “I haven’t gone there in many years. Eight, at least.”
My face goes numb, cold, catching his implications. He hasn’t been back to Chicago since he killed my parents.
Rage slices through my vision, blurring my sight as I stare at the phone.
Not yet. Not fucking yet.
“Hm,” I say, proud that my voice remains neutral.
More silence from Lakeland, then….
“Why don’t you explain to me why I’ve just received notice that the Keystone deal is on iceindefinitely?”
I cast a look in Axel and Riale’s direction. Both wear stony expressions.
“Oh? That’s news to me,” I say, trying to figure out how to buy time.
“Is it news?” Lakeland says. “Or did you tell your bitch to stop the purchase?” All of the blood in my face leaks down my body as I try to make sense of things.
Shae.
I need to get to Shae—Shae’s not safe right now and I?—
“Right,” Lakeland says. Then, he sighs. “You have no idea what type of position this puts me in, Storm. And it’s clear that the problem is your ex-girlfriend.”
I shake my head, looking at Axel when he hands me a note:
She called for an audit, effectively pushing the close date back three months.
Shit. She did it. She actually listened to me.
Now I have to make sure she doesn’t suffer any blowback for this.
“Orisun has called for an audit. That’s completely reasonable?—”
“Cut theshit,Storm.”His voice sharpens, the unaffected tone gone now.
“Liv Rivers. She’s impressive, I’ll give her that. Bold. Calculated. Sexy as fuck, too. But you know that. Don’t you, Storm?”
I grind my teeth, debating ifthisis the end of the road for this eight-year charade.
“But you knew her as ‘Shae,’ right? Back when she was sucking your dick all over the Asheford campus.”
I lose my mind. It’s the only way to describe the enraged rasp accompanying my words.
