Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 128380 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128380 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Bailey met his gaze. “I don’t tolerate betrayal. He knew that. He took his mental safety into his own hands when he slept with her.” He’d basically signed up for some psychological torture.
Havana looked from one brother to the other. “You’re wasting your time here. The odds are that Jackson was targeted by a shifter or two who felt like kicking the shit out of him and took it too far.”
Ginny’s hands fisted at her sides. “The culprit is standing right there.” She turned to Keaton and Jarrett. “Don’t be fooled by Bailey’s exterior. She’s the reincarnation of Rasputin.” Ginny tore a sheet of paper from the corkboard. “Look, I started this petition to have her fired. See how many signatures are on it.”
Jarrett took it from her and scanned it. His eyes flicked up to Bailey. “You signed this yourself. Six times.”
Bailey lifted and dropped one shoulder. “I like to be included in things.”
“It’s true that there are a fair few signatures on there,” said Havana. “Ginny and her friends not only scribbled their names on it but a bunch of fake names.”
Ginny’s mouth fell open. “That’s a lie!”
“No, it isn’t,” snapped Havana before turning back to Keaton and Jarrett. “Like I told you once before, Bailey had nothing to do with Jackson’s attack. She was at a pride event all day long. There’s an endless amount of witnesses who can confirm that.”
“But they’re all from your pride. They’d lie for her.” Ginny jabbed a finger in Bailey’s direction. “You wanted revenge on Jackson, so you went after it just like you always do. You’ve been punishing him for God knows how long.”
“But I never tried to kill him, did I? No, I toyed with him. That’s what I do.” Bailey had perfected the art of it when young. “I will do a lot of things to get revenge—I’m a black mamba, after all—but what I don’t do is cut my enjoyment short by ending my enemy’s life. And where’s the fun in coming at someone from behind anyway? Makes the whole thing too easy. I like a challenge.”
“Ask around the center,” Havana invited, again focused on Jackson’s brothers. “The people here know Bailey. You won’t find anyone who believes that she’s responsible for what happened to Jackson. The only person who’ll finger her as the culprit is Ginny.”
Ginny scowled. “I—”
“Need to shut the fuck up,” Havana finished, a growl building in her throat, Alpha vibes spilling from her. “I am just about done listening to you toss unfounded accusations around. It. Ends. Now.”
Ginny snapped her mouth shut, finally showing some damn sense. No one wanted to tangle with a devil shifter—particularly not an Alpha.
Corbin pushed out of his chair. “It would be best if you all left,” he told Ginny and her companions.
The brothers flicked Bailey one last hard look before stalking out of the office. Ginny trailed behind them, her head held high, avoiding everyone’s gaze. She also slammed the door shut on her way out.
Exhaling heavily, Corbin rubbed at his nape. “I’m sorry about that scene, Bailey. I would have thrown them out—”
“It’s fine, I get why you didn’t,” Bailey told him, waving off the unnecessary apology.
“Just so you’re aware, I made it clear to Ginny before you entered the office that she’s barred from this day forward.” Corbin’s face tightened. “What she’s doing isn’t simply a bitchy game, it’s dangerous.”
Very much so. Shifters craved blood and violence during times of injustice. Yearned for vengeance on a massive scale. That Jackson had almost been killed was enough of an injustice. That his would-be-killer roamed free was yet another. His family would be craving retribution … and Ginny was trying to sic them on Bailey like junkyard dogs.
One corner of Corbin’s mouth very briefly hiked up as he regarded Bailey carefully. “I’m proud of you for not leaping at her just now.”
Bailey shrugged. “She was braced for that. It’s no fun when people are braced for it.”
He gave her a flat look. “Ruin my illusions that you’re maturing, why don’t you.”
Snorting, Havana put a hand on Bailey’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s get back to the smoothie bar. Hopefully Jackson’s brothers will leave you alone after this. If they don’t, I won’t be so nice next time.”
Neither would Bailey.
The rest of her shift went without incident. It didn’t seem that Keaton and Jarrett hung around to question members of the rec center, but she couldn’t say for sure. If they did, no one mentioned it to her.
Later on, after they’d finished their shifts, Aspen and Camden left in their own vehicle while Bailey drove Havana home. Bailey then headed to the nearby parking lot of her apartment building. Having whipped her car into the closest available space, she cut the engine and slid out of the vehicle. She began walking toward her complex … just as two unfamiliar males stepped out from between two cars up ahead.