“How did you know they’d even go along with it?” Stella asked.
“Because of what I told you in the tunnels. Their secrets are dark enough that I was betting they’d do anything to keep them hidden. That if it was between jail and following my orders, they’d choose me every time. Especially because I didn’t plan to ask too much of any one person.”
“Death by a thousand paper cuts,” Stella said in perfect understanding.
“Yes. At first, your parents were included in that plan, but after all our time spent together, and with them, I changed my mind. And I’m not telling you this to soften you toward me; they still would have gotten caught in the crossfire, probably lost a ton of money. But Richard was going to bear the brunt of the blame, and I wasn’t going to stop until he lost everything. Not just financially. I wanted him as alone, destitute, and helpless as my mother had been.”
Stella was quiet for a long time, but I took heart in the fact that she was still hugging me.
“You’re not going to do any of that now,” she said.
“No, I swear. And I know I’ve already said it, but I am so fucking sorry,” I told her, dropping a kiss on top of her head.
“I think what matters more than anything is how you move forward,” she said. “My debt is obviously forgiven.”
“Well, hang on now.”
She pinched my side. “And any other innocent people you targeted are cleared, too.”
“Oh, I wasn’t lying when I told you most of my clients either deserve to have me as a problem or can pay what they owe. But, yeah, I’m done. The cops will be looking for my alter ego, so I need to lie low for a little while, which will hopefully give me time to sort out my shit and make amends for all the wrong I’ve done.”
“But what about the wrong everyone else has done?” she said. “I would stilllovefor Maddie and Feddy and all the other assholes I know to finally pay for their crimes.”
I shrugged. “Easy. I get my hacker best friend to anonymously leak everything I’ve learned about them to the press. This city is already furious with the wealthy for hiding Bradley Bluhm for so long. They’re hungry for more blood, and because of that, it’ll be impossible for people to sweep things under the rug or pay their way out of it this time.”
“Devious. Let me know what I can do to help.”
“You still want to help?”
“Of course I do. But doing it your way feels a little too easy for me. We should find a way to make them suffer more.”
I pulled back to look down at her. “Whoareyou?”
She laughed, a small, evil little sound. “Stella, if you’re behaving. Ma’am, if you’re not.”
My dick twitched between us, giving away how much I liked that idea. “But I’m an asshole. Probably will be even after therapy. I’m moody, and I fucking hate most people.”
“So? Most people suck, and I don’t know if you’ve noticed this about me, but I’m not exactly the most pleasant person to be around.”
“Oh, come on, Sunshine,” I teased. “Now who’s underestimating themselves?”
“Tyler, I swear to God.”
“Sorry. I meant Snack Bitch.”
She growled, teeth parting like she was getting ready to bite me.
“I meant ma’am!” I amended.
“Oh, no.” Her eyes widened as she looked up at me. “That’s going to backfire.”
I grinned. “Like it when I call you ma’am, huh?”
She nodded. “Almost as much as the sound of you begging for it.”
I sobered. “So . . . that’s it? You’re just going to . . . forgive me?”
Her mouth dropped open on a big, loud laugh that echoed through the bathroom. “Absolutely not. You are going to have to fuckinggrovel. And prove to me that you’re going to make some changes. I’m not asking you to turn into a completely different person, but you can beso meanwhen you’re in a bad mood, and I refuse to put up with that ever again.”
