Page 113 of Worth the Risk

“Yeah, something like that,” he grumbles.

We stay quiet for a few moments before he says, “As I asked before, what is it you want?”

“I need your help.”

“You needmyhelp? You’ve shut me out for five fucking years, you wouldn’t let me explain, and now you need my help? Why in the hell should I help you?”

“Because I deserve answers, because Kylie deserves answers, and because, most importantly, when Riley gets older and realizes I was never really at work, I damn sure need to give her answers of why I was out of her life for the first four years of it.” My voice raises as I think of all I’ve missed.

There’s silence, then finally a sigh. “What do you need?”

Good. He is at least willing to hear me out.

“I want to plant you inside Knight Industries in the finance department. Because if what I think could be true is, I’ll need someone who can find it.”

“What are you thinking?”

“Someone transferred a million dollars of company money into Kylie’s account, claiming it was from me as financial support for Riley. It may have been someone from within the company.”

“So you heard about that, then?” he asks.

“Kylie told me everything and showed me the proof. Someone fucked with us, Nash, and I need to know if it is who I’m considering it is or catch who did it.”

“Who are you thinking it is?”

“Oliver. He’s the CFO.”

“And why would he do that?”

“Because he’s Amber’s dad, and he may be covering up for her. A lot has come to light recently, and Amber may have been behind some of it. I didn’t ever write an email or receive an email from Kylie. And I sure as hell didn’t pay her off.”

“So now you’re willing to listen when you couldn’t listen five years ago? The fact that you believe I ever went there with Kylie was a slap in the face.”

“More like a punch in the face,” I joke because I did punch him in the face.

“Try that shit again, and I’ll knock you the fuck out, Leo.”

Okay. I deserve that.

“Has Kylie told you what we think happened that night?” he asks.

“Yes. This is a risk here for me too, you know. I’m putting my trust in your hands again. Are you going to take it?”

A few moments pass.

“I will be there in a week or two. I have some time I can take off.”

“Sounds good. And Nash…”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for doing this. You don’t owe it to me, especially after everything that has gone down, but I appreciate your help.”

“I’m not doing this for you. That shit all that time ago caused a domino effect that we’re still dealing with five years later. It’s more than you who deserves answers, and damn if I don’t want those answers too.”

He’s right, and together we’ll get our answers.

ChapterThirty-Five

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