Page 121 of Perfect Assumption

“And now what?” Carys’s aqua-colored eyes are burning like flames. My sister is outraged.

I don’t reply. I pick up the phone and place a call. “I need the name of the best personal injury lawyer you know.

“Why?”

My chin jerks up, and I find myself staring down into the eyes of a woman who has not only been my sister, but put her life on hold to raise me into the man I am. “Because I intend on recommending to every one of the women on that list they sue the living shit out of Michael Clarke and Stephen Bellew, as well as anyone Clarke paid off for compromising their sexual assault cases. And I’d like to have the name of the lawyer ready. Especially when this hits the media. And we both know it will.”

“I’ll call you back.”

I drop the phone back into the cradle.

Carys taps Angie’s resignation letter against her leg for a moment. “I like where this is going. Then what?”

“Then what, what?”

Carys rolls her eyes at me. “How are you going to get Angie back, Ward?”

“She needs to believe she’s safe, Carys. And until Mike’s been dealt with, she’ll never feel that way,” I patiently explain.

“I hate that you’re right.”

“But when that’s done…”

“Yes?” There’s a note of excitement in her voice.

“No matter where she is, I’m going to find her. After that—well, that’s between us.” It’s time to clear up a few assumptions we’ve both made, the biggest being that we can exist without the other. It’s simple. We can’t. Not anymore. Not after we found something so extraordinary, I never thought I’d feel it again.

A future.

Carys studies me for a moment before declaring, “My money’s on you, Ward.”

I snort. “Considering it’s our money, that’s not much of a bet.”

“Yes it is. Because that means it’s everything generations of our family worked for to leave us as a legacy. That’s how much I believe in you. I always have, and I know they would too.” And with that, Carys turns away.

But she doesn’t get out of my office before I swoop her up in my arms. “I never could have done any of this without you, Carrie.”

And for long moments, I stand there with one of three women I’ve ever loved in my arms. And that’s when we both hear the bellowing start. “What the hell? Where the hell is Angie?”

Carys sighs. “Becks. I should have guessed.”

“I’ve got this covered,” I assure her.

Her eyes rove my face just as Becks makes it to my door. “Oh, goodie. A family moment. How touching. Now, why isn’t Angie at her desk with all this bullshit going on in the media? Why aren’t you doing something to protect her?” he accuses.

“Beckett, come on in,” I invite him formally. Carys slips out, closing the door behind her. Taking a deep breath, I start to explain. “It happened like this…”

Forty-Six

Angela

Bravo! XMedia stockholders voted out Michael Clarke from the board of directors today after the news hit the media this week alleging payouts to witnesses and victims of sexual assault. While certain criminal charges are pending, a civil suit has been opened by Chase O’Hara, undisputedly the best personal injury lawyer in the nation.

While other victims have spoken to the media, many wonder if Angela Fahey—Michael Clark’s first known victim and the first to publicly accuse him—is part of the civil suit. If so, mum’s the word. Not surprising considering Ms. Fahey had kept a remarkably low profile until her romance with Ward Burke.

— StellaNova

Despite the still frigid temperature of early February, the beach house in Westerly, Rhode Island, that Sula’s family lent me without a single question last week has suddenly become confining. I brave the deck overlooking the patio to escape the restrictive feeling growing inside of me. “Not that anyone should be able to call eight thousand square feet confining, right, Flower?” I stroke her fur.