Page 51 of Graves & Griggs
“There was an incident at my firm. An employee was caught funneling money into a private offshore account. The matter has been… handled, and the cleaning staff are on their way,” he says cryptically, though not cryptically enough. If our phones have been tapped by anyone, they’ll know exactly what he’s saying because he’s about as subtle as a brick fucking house.
“How much did he steal?” I ask.
A pause hangs over the line before he speaks.
“Twenty-five million.”
I let out a dry laugh and shake my head. Motherfucker. Some little weasel stole twenty-five million dollars of my fucking money? Technically, Lewis runs a finance firm, the biggest and the best, but it’s all Brethren money. It was Brethren money that got it on its feet over a hundred years ago, and it was Brethren money that kept the doors open during all the recessions since, so it is by default my fucking money.
“You get my money back by Christmas or Griggs will be taking your fucking arms next,” I snarl before hanging up the phone.
There’s a knock on the bay window from the backyard, and I look to see Skyla smiling, head to toe in snow gear as she waves. I can’t help but smile—just a small one, just for her. Well, that is until Liam bounces towards her, grinning at me like a fool as he makes kissing faces at the window. I swear to God, he’s still a teenager. I’m not sure he’ll ever grow up. Then again, maybe that’s not a terrible thing. This world, this life, it ages you. Faster than you’d like, faster than you want to admit. Maybe having Liam around can slow time down, even just a bit.
I watch as Jackson lines up a snowball and don’t bother to warn Liam before it plows him in the back of the head.
Attaboy.
Liam’s mouth drops open in outrage. “There’ssnowway you just did that, my dude,” he says, and Jackson cackles at the horrible dad joke.
Liam tears after him when he screams and takes off running, and Brooks reaches for Skyla. He’s so tiny he basically looks like a blue snowsuit-covered marshmallow. She lifts him easily, resting him on her hip and getting him to wave at me. I smile and wave back as my eyes move to Seraphina, who’s currently doing snow angels, while Ryder and Aries build a fort with Ronan’s assistance.
I know that I should head back into my office. I have a million and one things to handle that haven’t been getting done since we’ve been up here. Even more so since I don’t know when we’ll be able to return home to Salem. The Graves brothers assured me this morning that they would be eliminating the rest of the Four Horsemen by Christmas if they had it their way. With it being December 21st, though, I can’t deny I have my doubts. We all may be stuck here for longer than any of us desire. I won’t be rushing us home without making absolutely sure that all threats have been eliminated.
I called in a team to keep eyes on our home back in Salem. I don’t know why—I just had this nagging feeling that it needed to bewatched. That if someone was going to come for us, they’d do it when our guard was lowered, when we were at our most vulnerable. It’s no different than Wesley calling in the private security firm to watch the cabin without my consent. I swear to God, the man thinks he’s one step ahead of everyone when he’s nothing but two steps behind. I don’t just have eyes in Salem or even Massachusetts, and if he believes that, then he has no faith in me whatsoever.
It's fine, though. I’ve already vetted the company and the men currently patrolling. All check out, at least enough for my preferences. If they can be hidden and not heard, more power to them. A little backup never hurt anyone.
“Ash!” Skyla says, grinning as she steps in the front door. “You were supposed to come outside, not stand in here sulking and all moody,” she teases as she moves towards me.
I give her a flat smile as I pull her towards me, then press a kiss to her forehead. “Sorry, princess. A lot on my mind.”
She smiles up at me, but it quickly fades. “Is everything okay?”
Wesley pops into my head. I know Skyla will want to know, but there’s nothing to tell. He’s being fixed up, he’ll be okay, and they’ll be home soon enough. There’s no sense in worrying her. At least, that’s the excuse I give myself because the entire situation is out of my control at this point.
“Yeah, usual shit. It’s fine.”
She nods and smiles as the door opens once more. This time it’s Liam bounding through the house like a puppy hopped up on… fuck, I don’t know, puppy crack? Something.
“What are you two doing in here?” he asks, smirking. “Ooooh are we gonna slip in a quickie?” he asks as he begins undoing his pants.
“Liam! All the kids are outside,” Skyla admonishes.
“Yeah, outside. And we are inside.” He winks as he continues undoing his pants.
“Ronan is out there watching five kids. I don’t like those numbers,” I say with a shake of my head.
Liam pouts, jerkily redressing himself like a petulant child. “Fine, but promise we can have extra sexy fun time later.”
Skyla laughs. “What exactly is extra sexy fun time?” she asks.
He shrugs. “Could be anything. You could suck me off while Ash fucks you. Or Ash could fuck me while I eat you. Ooooh or we can fuck your pussy together, our cocks rubbing against each other until we blow our loads,” he says, sinking his teeth into his lip like that’s the best idea he’s had all day.
Skyla scrunches up her nose and shakes her head. “Don’t call it that—blowing your load. Yeah, I don’t like that,” she says as she heads for the door.
“Fuck! Sorry, I forgot. Until we fill you up so well that you’re leaking!”
“No,” she says as she steps through the door.
