Page 122 of Reveal

“Fine,” I finally answer.

The dial tone meets my ears.

I lean back in my chair, put my feet up on the desk, and steeple my fingers in front of me as I think.

What the fuck was that?

Definitely a first.

One I don’t want to repeat.

So this is what it feels like to be fired.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Vaughn

“Not very smart, Vaughn.”

I startle when I see Abel and Noah at my front door. They push their way past me without asking and shut the door behind them.

“What do you mean?” My voice jitters in a way I’ve never heard it before—pure fear. Especially when I see the handcuffs hanging from Abel’s belt loop.

He didn’t have those last time.

Why does he have them now?

Do they think I’m bluffing on having proof? Are they not going to grant me immunity?

They both stare at me as I shake my head and tears well in my eyes.

“So you give us ultimatums. Then you call Ryker. His car arrives shortly thereafter and remains parked here for three hours in the dead of night and you think we won’t notice?”

“I didn’t care if you noticed,” I say with a partial laugh to hide my nerves. “Isn’t a girl allowed to see her boyfriend for some much-needed sex?”

I hope my truth will shock them some. Will make them realize I’m not playing the games they seem to think I am. And the surprised expressions my statement causes tells me I might just have succeeded.

“Sex?” Abel asks.

“Yes. A booty call,” I say and hate that it cheapens everything about what Ryker and I shared, but I also refuse to tell them that. “I wasn’t aware I couldn’t see him.”

“The tough-girl act doesn’t fool us, Vaughn,” Noah says.

“Or shock us,” Abel interjects. “You’d be surprised the things people lie about to try to throw us off track.”

“Why would I do that? Throw you off track.”

“Ah, is that your precursor to get out of explaining your big buyout? Let me guess—you’re going to refuse to cooperate with us now?” Abel accuses. “You can handle us all on your own, you can afford some big hotshot attorney who can explain it all away and—”

His words make no sense. I admitted to seeing Ryker. I’m not lying. So what is the big deal here?

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Abel crosses his arms over his chest and assumes his pose of intimidation against the wall. “So what, you were just stringing us along until you could see who the highest bidder was?”

“You.” I point a finger at Abel. “You need to stop with the cryptic bullshit and just come out and say it. I haven’t slept well in the past few days, so I’m having a helluva time following whatever else it is you’re accusing me of.”

“You want me to spell it out? How about this: you ask for immunity, and while you wait for us to get the paperwork drawn up, you try to get the best of both worlds. How much did you let Ryker buy you with, huh? Did you think we’d sign the paperwork with you before we noticed?”