Page 225 of King of Pain
Spence pulls a large manila envelope from behind his back, flashing a smug little grin. “Nothing to be concerned about,” he says, “but definitely something to be excited about.”
My eyes bounce between him and Jen, and I see Lexi stepping in just behind them.
My brows lift. “Is that—”
Jen beams. “Paperwork’s ready. Lexi and I are here to sign.”
I lean back in my chair, blowing out a long breath, running a hand down my face. “Oh fuck. Okay—” I jolt upright, reaching across my desk for my phone. “I need to find Chance—”
“Already here, baby.”
That voice. Warmth slides through me instantly. I look up—and there he is, leaning against my office door frame, arms folded, smolder dialed to eleven, one brow arched in amusement.
Just like that, the knot of nerves in my chest loosens.
My breath evens.
The world settles.
I smile, can’t help it. My man.
Six months.
It’s been six months since the exhibit… since my whole world changed.
Moving in with Chance.
Opening the agency. Launching the non-profit.
Jen—on Meg’s very persuasive urging—left her old firm and joined Pacini & Evers, now heading up our legal department. Her and Meg together are lethal. I feel for anyone stepping into a negotiation with those two.
Spence also left the firm he and Jen were at and now runs the day-to-day at the non-profit, including the Thrive initiative. Theman’s legal mind is invaluable, but more than that, his heart is in it. He’sall-infor these kids. He’s shared bits and pieces of his childhood with me. Things he endured. Things that drive him to make damn sure as many kids as we can help don’t have to endure the same.
Lexi designed the split office spaces beautifully, and word of mouth has spread so fast, she’s now designing homes for half our high-profile clients.
I still can’t quite wrap my head around how it all fell into place.
Well,I think with a small smile,the road here was a hell of a lot more complicated than “fell into place.”
But I never believed this could be my life.
Free of my past.
And, apart from therapy that I’ll always maintain, Iamfree of it.
Less than a month into the investigation into the fire at Foster Hall that sent those monsters to their eternal fate, the entire investigation was dropped. Closed.
“A horrific accident caused by faulty wiring.”
I knew The Doves had resources and connections, but… something kept nagging at me.
Detective Jimmy Gorski.
That name. Not common. I started digging. Yearbooks. Old records.
Caleb Gorski.My classmate.
Further digging showed he’d lost his battle last year. Couldn’t outrun the pain.
