Page 59 of Unexpected Complication

He regarded me shrewdly and nodded.

We were both silent as the sun began to rise, signaling the start of a new day.

A day that would begin the downfall of Orson Valenti.

And he’d never see it coming.

Chapter 13

Cian

I left her sleeping, unable to bear saying goodbye. I’d be back tonight or tomorrow and then take Sean with me. Project “Destroying Orson” was now starting in full gear. I had two objectives today: one, to get him to offer me a position in his organization, and two, to get close enough to his computer to plant the small devices on it Sean had given me. Today would be the right day to plant them so we could move ahead quickly. They would be activated at another time, but they needed to be in place.

I made sure to take all the precautions Sean and I discussed. I patted my pocket, suppressing a shudder, knowing, if needed, what was in there was for Skylar’s protection. I didn’t even ask Sean how he’d obtained what was in the small bag. I didn’t want to know. Everything I did now carried with it the added layer of needing to make sure she was okay.

Sean had done a quick search, and we’d both looked over the information we could find on her father and background to make sure neither was connected to Orson in any way since he had been a prosecutor. I couldn’t risk my operation—or her. But her father was exactly what Skylar thought—a good guy. The pictures we found were few, but I could see she looked like him. The online obituary was short and the comments scarce, mostly talking about his record of service. Skylar was as alone in the world as she thought she was. Until now. I had to get this done so we could start new, and I could make sure she was never alone again.

But for now, I had to dismiss her from my thoughts and once again become Anthony. My foot pressed down on the accelerator a little harder.

Showtime.

“How is it, Anthony,” Orson drawled in that nasal, annoying voice of his, “that you manage to show up with no notice? I can’t track you, locate you, or even know you’re approaching until you show up at my gate. How do you stay so invisible?”

I shrugged, keeping my facial expression impassive. “Another talent, Orson.”

“Indeed. I don’t like it.”

Again, I shrugged.

“You took your time getting here. The snow ended two days ago.” His voice held a trace of impatience.

“I wasn’t exactly within city limits.”

“Where exactly were you?”

I pulled a folded piece of newspaper out of my jacket pocket, tossing it on his desk. “Nowhere that exists anymore.”

He reached out, snagging the article, a cold, emotionless smile on his face as he read about the farmhouse burned to the ground, located in the opposite direction of where I had actually been staying. Sean had been right when he said Orson would want to know where I’d been, and he had paid to have this story planted in the local paper. He thought of everything.

“No survivors?” he asked. “No…extra guests?”

Shit. He wasn’t going to let this go.

“Nope.”

He studied me over the newsprint. “For how insistent you were on holding on to the girl, you didn’t keep her around long.”

“I never keep things past their expiry date, Orson. Ever.”

“Not fresh enough for you?”

I steeled myself, making my voice cold and detached. “Not respectful enough.”

“Ah.” His eyebrows rose. “And?”

I pulled the small pouch out of my pants pocket and dumped the contents on the wood. The small items lay on the dark stain, glowing white under the bright lights. He stared at them, his eyes wide.

“I…don’t…like…biters,” I spat out.