“I started digging through the system. There’s a lot of useful information buried once you get past the first few levels of security.”
Ash took a deep breath. His stomach churned. He’d delayed this next part for as long as he could. “Information like the cure for brain burn. Secret projects. Secret sisters.”
Portia sucked in a breath. Her mouth opened and closed. “It was you? All this time and it wasyou?”
She clamped a hand over her mouth and scrambled away from her desk. Her heels clacked unevenly as she raced across her office to the bathroom tucked into the corner. The door slammed behind her.
“Fuuck.” That had sucked. He didn’t feel any lighter for confessing, but he knew it had been the right thing to do. All his secrets were out in the open now. Except for Hope’s location and Taryn.
If he were a complete and utter bastard, Ash would leave now, while she was otherwise occupied. Disappear before she sicced security on him.
A bitter laugh escaped. He might think he could disappear, but the arms of the Tremaine Corporation were long and Portia’s pockets were deep.
One way or another, if he ran now but stayed in Seattle, Portia would find him.
And staying in Seattle was the only way he could be with Taryn.
He rubbed his hands over his eyes. It had always just been him and Hope. Now he had Taryn and Dani. And even Portia.
The restroom door opened, and Portia stepped out. Her face was pale and her eyes were red. “I didn’t expect a coward like you to still be here.”
He stood and faced her. “Portia?—”
“Ms. Tremaine,” she corrected him through clenched teeth.
“Ms. Tremaine. I’m sorry for what happened. I had no idea what the information I provided would be used for.”
“You didn’t intend to kill my husband and others? It was just a happy accident?” Her voice was scathing.
Ash flinched from the verbal blow. “Your father’s assistant told me that he would use the information to blackmail your father into a more favorable position in the company. He promised me that when that happened, he would use his power to free both me and Hope.”
“I asked you to help me find my husband’s killer. And you sat here—in my office—and said you would. You must have gotten a good laugh about that.”
He shook his head. “I didn’t. I felt terrible.”
“But you did it anyway?” Her blue eyes were like lasers. He wanted to look away, but she deserved his full attention.
“I had to rescue Hope before anyone caught me. Her freedom was the most important thing to me. I hoped to be with her, but I knew it might not be a possibility.”
“For her sake, I hope she’s truly safe, because you’re never leaving this building again.”
Shit.He’d been expecting it, but that didn’t make it better. Ash took a step back.
He hadn’t decided what to do before the office doors burst open and half a dozen Tremaine Security personnel surrounded him.
Ash dipped his head in acknowledgment. No matter how devastated she was, underestimating Portia Tremaine—even when she was throwing up in the executive restroom—was a mistake.
“Put him in a cell,” Portia commanded.
Two of the guards grabbed his arms. The others gathered around him.
His muscles tensed, but he didn’t struggle. Taryn would come for him. He had to believe that.
Chapter58
The small jailin the basement of Razor Jack’s was one of Taryn’s least favorite places. She’d never been held here—the old Jack had preferred to punish her elsewhere—but its mere existence hinted to the dark history of the bar. And until this last week, she’d never had cause to use it. Twice in a single day.
The pimp and his crew had only been held overnight. She’d arranged with one of her contacts for them to be transported far, far away from Seattle. Killing them probably would have been easier and less expensive, but she never wanted to be like the old Jack.
