Page 16 of Thunder

He says more, but my eyes are stuck on Lia.

She sits with her back straight, focus squarely on the man who's probably her boss. She still hasn't seen me, but I can't stop seeing her.

Instinctively, I lick my lips a moment, recalling the taste of her as she sat on my face. Fucking delicious.

A fucking delicious enemy that wants to tear apart the community.

Why does it have to be her, of all people, pushing this nightmare?

To my side, Bullet leans in. "Is that...?"

"It's her. From the other night."

Rook chuckles, but thankfully keeps his thoughts to himself.

The middle-aged man in the suit finishes his presentation, and the city councilwoman, with regret in her voice, announces that they'll re-open the floor to questions from the community.

The man with the concerns about parking prices reaches for the microphone, but with a gesture, the councilwoman signals for security, and two Costa Oscura PD officers take hold of the man and lead him from the building.

Eileen makes her way to the front of the line and grabs the microphone. She stands tall despite her diminutive stature, and she stares right at the man in the suit.

"You said this monstrosity that you're pushing is a gateway to prosperity. Prosperity for who? People already well-off? What about those of us who've been here forever? What about the people you want to put out of their homes?"

Lia's boss clears his throat. He smiles a slimy smile at Eileen.

"Trust me, we're taking all concerns into account. Any development work is being done with the intention not just to preserve local beauty, but to improve it. Yes, there might be some cost, but all good things have a cost. Everyone whose home might be in line with the development project has received an offer for their land that we feel is more than fair."

Someone in line for the microphone calls out. "You say that all concerns are taken into account? Bullshit. When was the last time any of you actually listened to us?"

Another yells: "You all just want to loot this place for every penny you can steal."

"Now, now, that simply isn't true," Lia's boss says, in a tone that drips condescension.

I stand up. I've had enough of these out-of-town assholes screwing with my community.

As I stand, Lia's gaze turns to me and, for a fraction of a second, her eyes go wide.

I smile at her before I cup my hands in front of my mouth like a megaphone.

"These people are nothing more than wolves in sheeps' clothing. They're just here to lie, to cheat, to steal, and they've got no goddamn shame about it. If you ask me, we don't just need to stop their project, we need to run their deceitful asses out of town."

Lia flinches.

Serves her right.

But then, calmly, she stands and takes the microphone from her boss.

Her eyes lock with mine.

The emotional current simmering between us—attraction, animosity, lust, betrayal—becomes so palpable it's like a slap in the face.

She smiles. Right at me. Another slap in the face.

"We're here to find a mutually beneficial solution, something that makes everybody happy. Because, unlike what some of the more radical, extreme, or just plain misinformed voices might try to tell you people, this project won't just improve only the land it's built on, it'll bring so much prosperity into the entire city. Don't you want that? More jobs, more income, more financial security for your community, and the chance to preserve a large swath of the natural beauty that exists right outside your window? Isn't that what you want?"

Every syllable, every word, she speaks while looking directly at me.

Directly into me.

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