Lana’s head thumps back against the pillow, a frustrated scream caught in her throat. “Are you fucking serious right now?”
I pull out slowly, agonizingly, both of us groaning at the loss—my cock slick and aching, her pussy clenching around nothing. We stumble naked into the living room, cursing under our breath. I snag my phone—Elias. She snatches the burner—Solange.
She answers as she heads back to the bedroom, yanking my discarded shirt over her head, the hem barely covering the tops of her thighs, nipples still hard against the fabric. “Sol, yeah, I’m fine—what is it?”
I drag sweatpants up my legs, cock throbbing painfully against the waistband, and yank the door open. Andre stands there with takeout bags and the patience of a saint.
“Dinner,” he says flatly, eyes flicking once at my wild hair, then away. “Everything is quiet out here.”
“Thanks,” I mutter, taking the bags with one hand while the other scrubs over my face.
He’s gone before I close the door.
Lana pads out ten minutes later, still swimming in my shirt, thighs flushed and marked from my stubble, looking edible and furious. “Solange has another batch decoded. Sending tonight. Says it proves how far Gabriel and Julian went together.” She exhales shakily. “Also said I sound… different. Too calm. Apparently mid-fuck is a good look on me.”
I drop the food on the counter, stalk over, and cage her against it, letting her feel exactly how hard I still am. “Later,” I promise against her mouth, stealing one hard kiss. “The second we’re done with these files, I’m bending you over the nearest surface and finishing what we started. Count on it.”
Her eyes flare, dark and hungry. “Count on it,” she echoes, her voice wrecked.
We eat the takeout at the counter, thighs brushing, tension crackling like static. Two days until Wednesday.
Two days until I finally get her alone again and make her scream my name until she forgets every fucking thing except how perfectly we burn together.
CHAPTER 24: LANA
Jax leaves at eight Tuesday morning to meet Brandon about apartment options and security installations, kissing me once before heading out with the promise to text updates. I'm left in the safe house with Andre on duty, reviewing notes for today's foundation board meeting that I'm already dreading.
The board has been increasingly vocal about my leadership since Ezra started his legal threats. Last week's emergency meeting included pointed questions about whether I'm "fit to continue" given the "instability" surrounding the estate. Today's agenda includes "discussion of leadership continuity" which is corporate speak for "we're going to pressure you to resign."
I dress carefully—navy suit that projects authority, minimal jewelry, hair pulled back in ways that say professional rather than traumatized widow. The performance starts before I leave the safe house.
By the time I step out, Derek has already resumed.
We leave Andre behind as Derek drives me to the foundation office, maintains close protection through the parking garage and elevator, positions himself outside the conference room where the board is already assembled. Eight people who've known me since I founded this organization after Gabriel's death, who watched me transform grief into action, who are now questioning whether I can maintain leadership under legal scrutiny.
Thomas Whitmore, the board chair, stands when I enter. "Lana. Thank you for coming."
"It's my organization. Of course I'm here." I take my seat at the head of the table, refusing to cede the position Thomas probably wanted for himself. "Let's begin."
The meeting starts with standard updates—expansion timeline, budget reviews. Everything normal until we reach the final agenda item where Thomas clears his throat with the particular sound of someone delivering bad news.
"We need to discuss the estate situation," he says, pulling out documents I haven't seen before. "Ezra Pope's legal team has been making inquiries. Asking questions about foundation finances, the source of your initial funding, your authority to make organizational decisions while legal disputes remain unresolved."
"What legal disputes? Ezra dropped the estate case last month after we threatened discovery. The probate settled five months ago. Everything went to me as Gabriel's will specified." I'm keeping my voice level despite the anger building. "That matter is closed."
"Apparently not as closed as we thought." This from Diana Corbett, who's been skeptical of my leadership since I refused to use Gabriel's venture capital model for the foundation. "His attorneys reached out last week with a new claim—alleging that he and Gabriel had joint investments in several ventures. That his capital is tied up in Gabriel's portfolio and he can't access it now that Gabriel is deceased."
"Yes, but Gabriel never mentioned Ezra investing with him. This is clearly another harassment tactic."
"Perhaps. But it's creating the same perception problems the estate challenge did." Thomas is pulling out more documents. "Donors are asking questions. Board members are fielding calls from concerned parties wonderingif the foundation is financially stable given ongoing legal entanglement with Gabriel's family."
"There is no legal entanglement. There's Ezra making false claims after his first attempt failed." I'm looking directly at Diana now. "And there are board members who apparently think I should capitulate every time he invents a new angle."
"We're not suggesting capitulation." Thomas again, attempting diplomatic tones. "We're questioning whether continuing to engage with these claims serves the foundation's best interests. If settling this joint investment dispute—even if it's baseless—resolves the legal scrutiny, perhaps that's the wiser choice."
"Settlement on what terms? Paying him for investments he never made because the board is uncomfortable with ongoing legal noise?" I'm standing now, unable to sit through this performance of concern masking cowardice. "I founded this organization with my inheritance. The work we do depends on funding that's legally mine. Ezra wants to contest that through whatever angle he can find, and you're suggesting I just pay him off to make it stop?"
"We're suggesting you consider what's best for the organization." Diana's voice has hardened. "Your personal legal battles are creating instability. If that instability threatens the foundation, then yes, we have to consider alternative leadership."
