“What do you expect us to do about it? It sounds like a family problem,” Taryn commented.
The others nodded in agreement.
“My father cannot be allowed to run the Tremaine Corporation again. It’s not good for the company and it’s not good for the city. I can’t fight a war on multiple fronts by myself,” she admitted. “I need help.”
For a long moment, the only sound around them was the clink and glasses and murmurs of the other patrons.
Would they agree to help her?
“Vyne is part of this?” Taryn asked, her voice hard and cold.
Portia swallowed hard. “Yes. I only learned that a couple of days ago. Ash has been looking into it for me.”
Taryn and Ash shared a look. “You’ll shut it down?”
Portia nodded. “As soon as I find out exactly where it’s coming from.”
“I’ll have that data for you soon,” Ash said. “Just making sure I’m not missing anything.”
“Thank you.” Portia meant it. She’d shut down that business if it was the last thing she did. Which wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.
“That leaves the Solveigs and your father,” Killian said.
A shadow fell over the table. “Your father? What does he have to do with this?” Aleks asked incredulously.
“What are you doing here?” Portia asked at the same time Dizzie said, “Everything, apparently,” her tone dark.
Chapter32
The needfor a drink had brought Aleks to Razor Jack’s. The chance of running into his employers at the hotel bar was too high and the thought of drinking in his room had been too damn depressing. So, he’d come to the one bar in the city he knew.
Who was he kidding? He’d come here hoping against hope to see Portia. He’d automatically headed for her corner and there she was. Like he’d conjured her from a dream.
What he hadn’t expected was the cluster of people at her table. He studied the faces around her. Killian St. John he recognized and nodded in greeting. He smiled at Dizzie. “Nice to see you again.”
She smiled back. Her gaze bounced from him to Portia and back. Something like humor lingered in her gaze.
Aleks didn’t recognize the wiry man who stood next to the table. He’d straightened from a lean when Aleks had spoken. He didn’t look like a fighter, though Aleks had met enough wiry guys to know they could be scrappy.
The woman standing next to him, though. She was a survivor. He recognized the look in her eyes and the way she held herself. She uncrossed her arms and let them drop loosely to her sides. A simple but effective way to show him her wicked-looking cyberarm.
Yep, she was the threat. But like Dizzie, she studied him with interest and curiosity.
“Your father’s back?” Aleks repeated when no one answered his question. “Where has he been? How long? What does he want?”
“Who the hell are you?” the wiry guy asked. “This doesn’t concern you.”
“It’s okay, Ash,” Portia said before the tension ratcheted up any higher. “Aleksander Lind, meet Ash Cutter. Ash, meet Aleksander Lind, employee of the Solveig Consortium.”
“Gotcha,” Ash said, looking between Aleks and Portia. He didn’t offer his hand or apologize or make any of the social niceties. That was fine with Aleks.
“The woman next to Ash is the Jack.”
“I like your place,” Aleks said.
“Thanks,” she said simply. “I do too.”
“What are you doing here, Aleks, I mean, Mr. Lind?”
