Page 85 of Breakaway

Whenever I thought about the people I counted as mine, a feral sense of pride and possessiveness washed over me.

Henley met my eyes before she stepped through the door, giving me one last nod as she fell into the zone and became Hockey Henley.

Turning down the hallway, I exited the arena and returned to the cold air. My steps were quick as I made my way to the library. Alpha Security had gone over the layout with me, pointing out all the exits and entrances so I knew where to go if anything happened. Again it felt like overkill, but it didn’t hurt to be prepared, so I went along with it.

The ornate brick building came into view a few minutes later. The campus was empty, as most students were attending the hockey game, making this area the perfect place to meet. Vacant benches and lampposts were the only visible things as I climbed the steps up to the four-story building.

My breath puffed out in front of me by the time I reached the top. Who needed that many steps? Seriously, what were they trying to prove with that amount? Ostentatious use of money.

“I’ll be here,” Dan, my guard, said as I opened the doors. I nodded, already having forgotten he was behind me.

The library was quieter than the campus, and I had an instant urge to silence my movements, not wanting to disturb the peace that was evident here. No one stopped me as I walked through the book monitor; the clerk at the desk was too absorbed in a book as they flipped the pages.

I didn’t know what Pippa looked like since I’d never been around when Henley talked to her, but I had a feeling she wouldn’t be hard to pick out at a high school library.

Sure enough, as I made my way to the back, a woman in her forties sat at a long table, her back straight as she stared at me, her red lipstick standing out. She wore an expensive pantsuit, and her dark hair was pulled back tight in a low ponytail. Her eyes were shrewd as she watched me, giving no indication she’d even noticed I was there. Two men in identical black suits stood at the back, and I snorted at the blatant display of power.

Shaking my head, I took a seat across from her and leaned back in my chair, giving off a relaxed look. I glanced around the place, spotting the exits that Alpha had told me about. I also saw no other people hiding, making my heart slow.

“Mr. Cromwell, thank you for meeting me,” she said.

“What’s with the goons?” I asked, instead of acknowledging her. “I’m here alone.”

“Just a precaution. I can send them away if it makes you more comfortable.” I knew she was baiting me, but I would prefer they weren’t here.

“Yes, thank you, that would. Otherwise, I’m going to be worried you’ll snatch me up and kidnap me if I say something you don’t like.”

“Very well.” She lifted her hand and did a little wave, the two men turning and walking out the other direction. I didn’t believe for one second they’d truly gone, but at least they weren’t directly near us.

“So, what’s up?” I asked. I watched as she tensed, the area around her eyes and lips tightening at my casual air.

“I think we got off on the wrong foot, Mr. Cromwell.”

“Oh, you mean the one where you threatened the love of my life when she didn’t want to join your little club?”

“I’m sure you’re mistaken. There have been no threats against Henley.”

“Nothing direct, maybe. You’re clever enough to make sure of that. Who are you? What’s your role?”

“I’m the Arbitrator for the United States club. There’s a Canadian and European club as well, all with different chapters within.”

“So you’re what? The boss?”

She smiled, shaking her head. “No. I’m merely a neutral party that oversees the chapters and helps manage conflict.”

“Hmm. There feels like there’s more there.” I tapped my finger on the table as I watched her.

“I’m not going to spill our secrets without something from you first, Mr. Cromwell.” She lifted an eyebrow, almost in a dare.

“Fine. What do you want?”

“While I’m not technically in charge, I do hold sway with the chapters on membership and the direction of the Society. I had great plans for Henley, and when she denied our generous membership, she derailed a lot of them. Help me get Henley on board, and I’ll tell you everything you need to know.”

She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. I assessed her, taking in everything I knew, from the player she’d been and the information Macy had gathered. There was something not adding up here. Using the CEO hat I’d been wearing lately, I thought through the problem differently by taking out the personal implications for myself and the people I loved.

When something came to me, I sat up, my hands flat against the table as I stared at her.

No. That couldn’t be right. There was no way.

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