Page 51 of Storm and Tempest

Jax pushed through the doors, and Maizie went with him to the same hall where they’d spoken to Elliot. The lawyer stood waiting. “Ms. Romeo, will you take Maizie to speak with Elliot and his sister.”

The woman nodded. “I can do that.”

“And stay with her until I get there.” Jax wasn’t going to budge on that.

“You believe she might be in danger from Elliot or Sandra?”

“We’re all in danger all the time. Prudence dictates we pay attention to security. Especially when we have so much to lose.”

She eyed him, a tiny bit of admiration in her eyes. “Very well. I’ll stay with Ms. Morrow.”

He looked at Maizie, who tipped her head and said, “Go. I’m good.”

Not the first time he hadn’t wanted to leave Maizie, but he did it. Jax followed the sound of conversation down the hall, around the corner. Ramon stood in the hall with Zeyla, their stances a whole lot like they were in a standoff.

“What now?”

Ramon glanced over his shoulder at Jax. “Nothing.”

“Right.”

Zeyla said, “I didn’t do anything. Ramon is just beingRamon.”

Her voice was so similar to Kenna’s it made his chest squeeze. He’d wonder if he needed to see a doctor if not for the fact this felt exactly like the weeks after his grandpa died. The same steel bands wrapped around his chest.

But he wasn’t grieving Kenna, because she wasn’t dead.She’s alive.He was going to find her. Which meant this feeling was fear that he might not.

“See?” Zeyla waved an arm. “He won’t even look at me.”

Jax shifted his attention to Ramon, who shook his head and said, “So you’re all butthurt about that? It’s hardly the time to be petty.”

Zeyla scoffed. “You think that’s what this is?”

Jax said, “You look like her. You sound like her.”

He wasn’t sure he could explain it more than that. But he figured it could very well be the problem Ramon had with this woman.

“I get it. I make things hard.” She started to turn away.

Ramon clasped her elbow. “Zey?—”

“Don’t bother.” She pulled her arm from his grip. “It’s not like I’m asking to be part of your team.” She walked away.

“We need to get in here and talk to Samuel,” Jax said. “But what’s going on? You know Kenna would ask. She would want to know.”

Ramon shook his head. “I wouldn’t tell her either. I’d say I’m dealing with it.”

Jax figured he knew. “But you’re still going to tell me.”

“I don’t trust her.”

“Okay, not what I expected you to say.” He’d figured this was about Ramon having feelings for Zeyla, and her rejecting him, or something like that. Or he was conflicted because she looked so much like Kenna. “You think she’s going to betray us, or lie to us like Amara has been?”

“I always think everyone is going to betray us. It’s why I’m still alive.”

Jax was pretty sure that was from a movie but couldn’t remember which one. “Do you have actual evidence or just a gut feeling?”

Ramon scratched his jaw.