Page 21 of Between Passion and Revenge: Part Two

Riale looks at me, his expression unreadable. “Now, we’re sure.”

A long silence stretches between the three of us, heavy enough to crack open the floor.

“She can’t close that deal,” I say at last, voice flat.

Riale’s head tilts slightly. “And what do you plan to do about it?”

“I’ll talk to her,” I reply, already formulating the approach in my head. “Figure out why she’s interested. Convince her to back off.”

“Storm—” Riale starts, but I cut him off with a look.

“You think I can’t handle her?” My voice is ice now. “Is that what this is about?”

“No.I think you can’t handle what’sbetweenyou. What’sleft.”

My vision narrows, and my voice goes low.

“I don’t care what’s left. I care that she doesn’t end up on Lakeland’s radar.”

“Too late,” Axel mutters.

I whip my head around.

“From what I can tell, he’s got a lot of eyes on Shae,” Axel says, casting a look at Riale’s grim face. “And that never bodes well.”

And just like that, the mission changes.

I gave up everything for Shae’s safety eight years ago, and I’ll do it again.

Even if it throws everything in jeopardy. Even if it costs me my life.

FIVE

SHAE

When the hired car turns the final bend toward the DuBois Hotel, I pull out my compact and lipstick.

Red lipstick.

In any other event, it might seem garish to wear a red formal gown paired with a red lip and red-bottom shoes, but this isn’t any other event. This istheevent—the one where in order to secure my future, I’m gonna have to strut in there, whip my metaphorical dick out and plop it on the table for all the men in the room to weep at.

The Keystone executives are fucking with the wrong bitch, and by the time they leave tonight, they’ll both hate meandwant to fuck me.

I can’t fucking wait.

“Ms.Rivers, here are the bios for all five of the Keystone executive team,” Melissa says, her efficient tone matching her efficient black evening gown. “My source in the ballroom has confirmed that Kenyon Braxton, Liam Boggs, and Kenyon’s sister Lucielle are there.”

I snap the compact closed and toss it on the seat next to me. Taking the tablet from Melissa, I scroll through the document.

Kenyon Braxton. CEO of Keystone Financial and rumored cokehead.

Mason LaBreque. COO of Keystone Financial and rumored by Melissa to be fucking the next person on the list: theverymarried Nancy Braxton-Hogg, Chief Legal Officer for Keystone Financial and wife to US Senator Donald Hogg.

Ashton Keane is Keystone’s CFO, and Martin Raymos is their CRO. I care less about Martin, a little more about Ashton, and I’m pretty sure I’ll have Kenyon begging for my forgiveness by the time the night is through.

Five-hundred-million dollars. They have half a billion ofmymoney and want to jerk me around? Fuck. No.

Arching an eyebrow, I ask her, “How do you get all this information, Melissa?”