“Was it called”—my mouth can’t bring itself to say the words—“EpicureanElite?”
“Yes!” She shoots me with her finger and wrinkles her nose. “Weird, right? But you said she was brilliant, and, apparently, Dad thinks so,too.”
My body goes numb with rage. That bitch. Abby stole Lex’s company right from under her. I’m betting both concepts have more in common than just a name. “Teagan, did you file that copyright like I asked you?” My voice is shaking with anger. It’s all I can do not to hunt down Abby Wilcox and make her explain a few things tome.
“Of course. It’s a done deal. Abby and Dad have everything they need to run it. Dad was so excited he assigned her a team. It’s already gone down totech.”
Tech is where the real work happens. If Abby needs a website, she’s got it. Any technical aspect of the company is graciously covered by my father and his minions—right along with hismillions.
I’ve done this. I’ve unwittingly sold out Lex’sdream.
Teagan bops back to her guests, and I don’t stop her. Instead, I stagger to the door, stunned as shit, and a familiar body bumps intome.
“Whoa.” It’s Brody Wolf, another victim of my manipulation, and I can’t even find it in me to return the smile. “Dude, did someone piss in yourbeer?”
“Yes.” I head outside, and Brody follows. “Idid.”
Brody sits next to that oversized bear, and I tell him everything—and I do meaneverything.
“Are you dicking with me right now?” He gives my shoe a hard kick. “You have our accountants giving me busy work so you could chase a skirt at the bar? Shit.” He bangs the back of his head against the stone wall. “You could have told me to go to Cabo for a few months, and at least I would have had a goodtime.”
“You would have gotten killed by a druglord.”
“That might be true, but at least I wouldn’t be having nightmares where numbers were chasing me down. Dude, I can’t breathe at night. You’ve given me anxiety that’s going to last alifetime.”
“Yeah, well, it’s over. Just like Lex andme.”
“No way. That chick has cost me too much lost sleep—even if I didn’t know she was at fault. You’re getting her back, and I’m going to helpyou.”
“How are you going to do that?” I sink my head between my knees a moment and soak in the dizzyingrush.
“Find Abby Wilcox. I don’t know—void everything to do with her connection to that company. Doesn’t your father have some sort of a fraud clause? You know, she stole it fromLex.”
“It’s a classic case of he said, she said.” Or in this case—she said, shesaid.
“What about Lex? She has a file, right? She’s been working on this. Her files are dated. I say you charge at Abby with a dozen different high-powered lawyers—you and half your family and get back what’s yours. NamelyLex.”
“Sue her. Huh.” Now there’s a concept. “You think she’ll rollover?”
“Hell yes. You throw enough legal-ease at her, and she’ll not only roll over, she’ll run out of town. Nobody wants that headache.” We think on this for a minute. “Why do you think she did it? I mean, she didn’t even bother to change the name. If she were smart, she would have at least basterdized theconcept.”
“I have no clue. And for all I know, she could have botched the concept. One thing I do know is that Lex feels as though her life was just pulled from under her. I know that feeling well, and it sucks.” I’m experiencing itfirsthand.
“I’ll help you in the morning.” He socks me on the arm. “That’s for messing with me. I’m sure Levi won’t mind half asmuch.”
“What are you doing here,anyway?”
Brody looks to the door and gives a wry smile. “Thought I’d keep an eye out on Raven—you know, for Levi. He’s been indisposed no thanks to you, and she’s been running around like a questionmark.”
“Raven, huh.” I frown over at him, doubting his chaste intentions. I doubt Brody would be dumb enough to try anything with Raven. He and Levi grew up together. Hell, Raven is probably like a sister to him. “All right, man. I’m taking off.” I make a break for the parking lot, my head full of all the bullshit that justtranspired.
I drive by Lex’s house and knock on the door, but she doesn’t answer. I didn’t think shewould.
She doesn’t answer my calls or my texts. I know the routine. Text, call, repeat. If Lex says we’re over, we aredone.
But I don’t happen to agree with her. And the last time I checked, I was a fifty percent partner in thisrelationship.
I head to The Sloppy Pelican and pull Abby’s file before heading to the penthouse. I log in to the Collins and Associates mainframe and let myself into my father’s new acquisition files. I’ve got all the passwords I need to take me right to the nexus of what I’m looking for. Abby Wilcox, Epicurean Elite. I peruse the contextual outline and let out a breath. It’s laughable. A skeleton of what Lex described. Abby doesn’t know what the hell she’s talking about or doing. She needed an idea, and she ran with a goodone.
