Page 99 of Crimson Love

“We’ll start tomorrow.” I look around the table ... to my family. Outside of the woman who raised me, it’s the only one I have. I stand and make my way to the door. Lennon should be finishing up work for the day, and I’m meeting her at her office. “Let’s fuck up this contract for good so we can move on.”

I’m almost through the door when it opens and Devon walks through.

I lift my chin. “What’s up?”

Harlow doesn’t give him a chance to answer and moves past me to wrap her arms around him. “Guess what? Jett’s staying in Winslet for good, and he wants to be a part of Stonebridge—more than just on the board. Isn’t that great?”

“Bloody great news, baby.” Devon’s expression is tight, but he still wraps his arms around her and gives her a kiss before focusing back on me. “I heard from Crew Vega. I’m afraid I don’t have equally as good news. We need to get Lennon up here. We’re going to conference with Crew and Bella. They’ve been digging and learned a lot today. This isn’t the news anyone was hoping for.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

GO PUBLIC

Lennon

“S he’s dead.” Not a question.

A confirmation.

“I’m sorry, love.” Bella’s tone is empathetic and remorseful. “I know she hasn’t been in your life for a long time, but this isn’t the news I wanted to deliver. I thrive in reunions, not delivering the worst news life has to offer.”

My mother is dead.

I should cry or something. Heck, I teared up at lunch when Felicity insisted that I never cook for her, but I can’t shed a tear when I learn that my mother is dead?

There’s something wrong with me.

“Are you sure?” I ask.

Crew and Bella glance at each other, before Crew explains, “Yes, we’re sure. She moved to Chicago years ago. We located many addresses and places of residence over the years. She was in and out of homeless shelters and government housing. I’m sorry, Lennon. She didn’t have an easy life.”

My questions keep coming like I’m an anchor on the evening news rather than a daughter who just learned her mother was dead. “When did she die?”

“Five years ago,” Bella says. “The report was vague as to the cause of death. We’re trying to find out more. It said natural causes but there were also reports of —”

I put my hand up to stop her. “It’s okay. I didn’t even know where she was or what she was like. I really don’t want to know how she died. Please don’t waste any more of your time on this.”

“Of course. Whatever you wish,” Bella says.

“So he lied,” I bite. “Not only did my mother leave me when I was little, but she’s been dead for years, and he tried to emotionally blackmail me with the notion that I might be able to see her.”

No one answers or offers a word. What is there to say? Jett pulls me closer to his side where we’re sitting in the middle of the sofa.

“I know I should be upset. I don’t know why I’m not. I forced myself to not think about her a long time ago. And from the little you just told me, I was right to do so. Maybe that’s why I convinced myself they killed my father too.”

Jett presses his lips to the side of my head.

“Thank you,” I add quickly. “Thank you for confirming that my father is the worst of his kind in human nature. The sooner I can forget about him, too, the better.”

Harlow reaches over and takes my hand. “You’re not in his world any longer. You have your life in Winslet and us. Focus on that.”

“You can do that soon enough,” Devon says. “As soon as your father is behind bars with Petrov.”

“Which brings us to the next issue at hand. Calls have been coming into your father’s phone. Ozzy has been tracking them back to a couple islands in the Caribbean. Petrov wasn’t the only one with clients, though your father isn’t a loan shark or dabbling in drug running.”

There’s a pause, and I wait for him to drop the next bomb.

It’s Devon who speaks up. “Tell her, Bells. Lennon can handle it.”