“Yes,” I lie, my gaze darting to Jaxon.
How much did they hear?
Will they try to find the skeletons that have Makayla so scared?
I should have waited until we got home to talk about it.
“Are you sure?We didn’t mean to eavesdrop but we couldn’t help but overhear.You can talk to us.Maybe we can help,” she offers, then nudges her brother in the stomach.“Can’t we, Jaxon.”
“Depends,” he replies honestly.“It’s not unknown that someone not too long ago tried to buy our land and did things to try and make it happen.We can help, but we can’t go through that again.”
“I’m sure Andrew Black isn’t the one trying to secure their land,” Paisley scoffs.
The blood rushes from my face.“Any chance he’s a relation of Katherine Black?”
Jaxon becomes alert, his entire body tensing as he stares at Malia.“That’s who is trying to get your land?”
She shrugs.“We’ve had a few people try, but Summer was the one who was asked to compile information on us and the land.”
From the look he sends me, I should run.“You work for the Blacks?”he growls.
I hold my hands up, unsure of what is happening.“I was a personal assistant to an investor of the company Katherine runs, but something happened not too long ago and I got moved to her section and became her assistant.If you are asking me if I’m loyal to her, the answer is no.If I’m being honest, I can’t stand her.If I could quit, I would.”
“You talking about your job?”Freya asks, joining the huddle.She clearly hasn’t picked up on the tension, so she continues.“She hates it there.Her boss is a bitch.I keep telling her to leave but she doesn’t listen to me, so instead we come up with ways to get away with her murder.”She glances around the area.“Why are you hiding back here?”
Jaxon relaxes somewhat before turning to Malia.“I have a friend who can wipe out anything from your past that needs erasing.You just have to be honest with him about what it is and he will keep your secrets.You don’t want to mess around with this family.”
“What is going on?”Freya whispers, standing closer to me.
“I’ll fill you in later,” I promise.
“No, you can’t.Because they will go after her,” Jaxon warns.“What I say next needs to stay between us.”
“Okay,” Malia replies, straightening.“Freya, can you go make sure the others don’t interrupt us?”
Shakily, she nods.“Of course.”
When she leaves, Malia turns to Jaxon.“Talk.I have sisters I need to protect who have already been through too much in their lifetime.If this family is as dangerous as I think you’re implying, I need to know what I’m dealing with.”
Jaxon hesitates, observing Malia with conflict.Paisley nudges him, and the tension in his shoulders drops as he begins, “They tried to burn down our factory.They burned down a house we were working in with us still inside, and they kidnapped and tortured two of us.One of them is the guy who can help you make secrets disappear.I won’t get into the heinous things Andrew has done, but I will warn you: what he will do to a man doesn’t compare to what he likes to do to a woman.You need to stick together and watch your backs, no matter where you are.They don’t play fair and will do anything to mess with the land until you want to sell.”
My eyes widen.“Like turning off the water,” I whisper, gazing at Malia
Her jaw clenches.“Summer, compile useless information on the land and on us to hold them off,” she orders before turning to Jaxon.“If your friend can help, I will take it.I have my sisters to protect, just like you have your family, and whilst you seem like the type of person who has your own hidden skeletons, I don’t play games.So, to return the same courtesy you’ve given us tonight, I will warn you that if this is a trick, I have plenty of land to bury your body.”
“It’s not a trick,” he assures her, crossing his arms over his chest.“If they get your land, it will be to develop on it and spy on us.We have a lot riding on this too.So does the wildlife.”
“I-I can’t go back there knowing this,” I whisper.“I knew she was evil, but this...”
Malia takes my hands in hers.“You said yourself, you haven’t told her you live there.You can be an inside source.”
My eyes bug out.“And when it comes out?Because it will.I haven't worked for her long, but taking her boardroom notes means redacting a lot of the threats she issues.Trust me.”
She watches me closely.“What really has you scared?You’ve never run from a fight before.”
“They can sue me if they find out.It’s in my contract to keep anything I hear or see inside that building to myself.Once she finds out, she can use that against me.”
“They have to prove you spoke about it,” Jaxon interrupts.“Don’t act differently whilst you are there.Don’t download anything to your personal computer and you should be fine.”
