Page 33 of Gambit
“Yeah,” Eliza says. “Tensions are high, feelings are fraught. We’re good.”
“Let’s move out then,” I state, taking control as Raph shoots a text to our mercenary buddy to meet us at the bar. “Someone call Ol, he probably doesn’t need to speak to Adam yet.”
“On it,” Tarq says as we pile into Eliza’s Merc. It’s the only car big enough to carry us all.
We set off with me driving, and Eliza’s nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof next to me. I place my hand on her thigh. “This will work out, princess. Mrs Sterling is not fucking about. She’ll have the goods.”
“Okay, I know. It’s just until I see it with my own eyes, it hasn’t happened, you know?”
“Yeah, I know.” I turn back to focus on the road, and within minutes, we are pulling up to the Rusty Anchor, where Viktor Drago is already waiting.
17
ELIZA
The Rusty Anchoris exactly the kind of place Peters would never be caught dead in, and that’s what makes it perfect. The exterior is all peeling paint and dank air, while the inside reeks of stale beer and broken dreams. But it’s private, and right now, privacy is worth its weight in gold.
I slide out of the car, smoothing down my leather jacket, feeling Drago’s sharp gaze on me as if he can see straight through to the nerves I’m trying to quash. “Eliza,” he rumbles in greeting, his accent heavy and comforting in its own weird way.
“Drago. Nice to see you again.” His presence alone is reassuring, an unspoken promise that nothing will go down here that he doesn’t want to. He had Raph’s back the other week, and that means he’s solid.
Inside the bar, Shannon Sterling sits at a booth in the back. She’s like an angel of vengeance—blonde, icy-cool, and deadly as fuck. Seeing her there, I can’t help but feel a surge of gratitude. She’s using her leverage for me, and I can’t even express in words how much that means.
I slide into the seat opposite her, my boys flanking me like a protective wall. “Hey, Mrs Sterling,” I say, my voice steadydespite the storm inside my chest. “I want to thank you so much for this. I know you wanted to keep hold of it?—”
She cuts me off with a wave of her hand. “Don’t mention it. Anything for Ollie, and I can’t wait to bring that slimy fucker down. He has always given me the creeps and when he became VC at Castle, I knew then I had to be prepared. Assholes like him don’t deserve power.”
“True,” I agree. “Uhm…”
“I won’t tell your, Dad,” she says kindly. “Ollie asked me not to, and I won’t.”
“Thank you,” I whisper.
She beams at me. “No worries.”
She slides a manila envelope across the table towards me. It looks innocuous enough, but its contents have the power to shake foundations. Opening it with a shaky hand, I pull out a stack of financials, which I’m guessing shows him skimming off the top of the university-approved charity foundation. Numbers aren’t my thing, so I hand it to James, who gives it a quick once-over.
James’ brows draw together as he flips through the pages. “He’s been pocketing tens of thousands. It’s all here.”
“Fuck,” I breathe out.
I lean back against the worn leather of the booth, feeling relief and rage swirling through me. “And to think he tried to blackmail me,” I say, my voice laced with scorn.
Raph leans in from where he’s been silently towering over my shoulder, his curiosity piqued. “Can we nail him with this?”
Shannon nods, her icy blue eyes hard as diamonds. “Absolutely. It’s already been audited, like I said, I’ve been waiting. If this lands with the board, Peters will be out.” She gives me a look filled with concern. “But that’s all he’ll be. The Highams will see he doesn’t land in prison.”
“It’s enough. He wouldn’t dare touch me on the outside. Dad will have his head if I don’t get it first.”
“Well, I don’t disagree with that.”
Oliver joins us, and I grin at him. “We’ll need to prepare for blowback. Our family’s not exactly poster children for legality. Peters will drag us through the mud if he gets a whiff of what’s coming,” he says.
“Don’t worry about that,” Mrs Sterling says dismissively. “He will be disgraced the second the Chairman sets eyes on these. Clifford and I go way back. He is a hardass and a stickler for the rules. He will not let this slide, I can assure you.”
“Thank you,” I say again, ready to burst out crying again. “You don’t know how much this means. Anytime, if I caneverbe of assistance, let me know, no questions asked.”
She gives me a sincere smile before her eyes flick to Oliver. “Just love my boy back the way he loves you, and we’re good.”
