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Reports in the New York Times had indicated they had fallen on hard times during COVID, but the twin owners had sunk their own funds into the business to keep them afloat and retain their staff. For that, he commended them. Attempting to use his hard work to get back on the fast track… that was the kind of business acumen Hunter abhorred. Corporate espionage was a high-level form of stealing, a crime punishable by the law. It was a pity that a company with so much potential would sink because of misguided advice.
It didn’t take a genius to know Rocco Butler was the one behind the scheme. The information Matilda gathered on him was sufficient to prove that he didn’t have an ounce of business integrity. In certain circles he was referred to as the White Shark since he didn’t think twice to involve criminal associates to get what he wanted. Hunter wondered if the Princes were aware of the double-edged sword their shareholder walked on.
His finger traced the lines of Lilith’s legs on the screen. “I’m not so sure bright orange will do much for your looks and will definitely clash with your red hair but that, you fucking bitch, is going to be your fashion limitations for many years to come.”
Fury was at war with disappointment. He had known she was lying but had begun to hope it was only to get into the academy. Now that he knew she was a selfish, glory thieving bitch, he couldn’t help but feel betrayed.
With a trembling finger he scrolled through his contact list to find the name of a friend who worked at the FBI, dealing with white-collar crime.
“No.” The sound of his anger thrilled through the room. “I’m not going to make it that easy for them… for her even less. They intend to steal something from me, which they’ll never achieve, so I have no concern about that. Lilith Prince, is another matter.” He stabbed her face with a stiff finger against the screen.
“You lied to me, you deceived me and for that you will pay. Yes, I’m not handing you over to the authorities, not just yet. Not until I’m satisfied you paid the price for the lying bitch you are.”
Chapter Fifteen
Hunter
Perkins Lane, Briarcliff, Seattle, WA…
Parking his car a short distance from the address Matilda had supplied for Leigh Simms, Hunter’s darkening eyes followed the edge of a cloud overhead. A brilliant white patch in the sky, like a turning page catching the sun. The rest was dove-gray, with a subtle hint of purple, just enough to announce the coming sunset. A glance at his watch confirmed that Stone should arrive any moment.
With this incident, Hunter’s distrust of people was reaffirmed. True friends didn’t come easily, but he treasured those he had. He had burned his fingers with Hailey, but he had been young and still believed there was a woman out there for him. One who would love the man he was and didn’t care about the hefty bank account choking him with the success he had achieved over time.
The joke was on him. If he hadn’t known Lillian, or rather Lilith, was a fraud, she was exactly the kind of woman he could fall for. Like friends, love didn’t come easily, not those who were true and the kind that lasted forever.
“That’s life for you.” A deep exhale drifting from his lips was laced with disappointment and frustration. “Ah, the troops have arrived.” He got out of the car as Stone and Hawk approached him. “The house is a couple of yards up the road. I drove past it and there’s definitely someone home.”
“Let’s get this over with.” Stone’s cold, hard stare was flanked by his stony expression, a resolute sign of his anger and disappointment. At Castle Sin, the general rule was to care for each of the trainees and more so for the employed castle subs. As the owner of the island and Master Dom of the castle, Hunter knew Stone always ensured everyone was treated equally and fairly. That Leigh abused the kindness and care he had offered a second time, was perspicuously a hard blow to him.
The sound of the doorbell was still echoing inside the house when Leigh opened the front door.
“Oh! It’s… you,” she lamented, her gaze fixated on the large frame of Stone. Taking a hesitant step back against the force of anger flashing in his eyes, a sickly pallor crawled over her cheeks, and her shoulders hunched. Perhaps Leigh realized she had made a huge error in judgment in approaching CNN.
“Leigh,” Hunter acknowledged her since Stone’s lips remained locked. “We need to talk. Perhaps it would be better to do so inside rather than here on the porch?”
“Ehm, yes,” she whispered. Her head bobbed nervously as she stumbled, her balance in complete disarray. Managing to compose herself with obvious difficulty, she stepped back and opened the door wide. “Please, come inside.”
Neither of the Rothman cousins said a word as they entered the den.
“What are you doing?” Leigh asked wide-eyed watching Hawk methodically roaming the entire house with an electronic unit in his hand.
“Since you proved you can’t be trusted, I’m checking for listening and recording devices,” Hawk took the time to explain before disappearing down the hallway.
“Listening devices? Why would I… oh,” she ended lamely at the piercing looks from both Stone and Hunter.
“Yes, Peyton Jackson came to see me. It seems you had quite a tale to tell, didn’t you, Leigh?” Hunter stood in front of the window; legs spread wide with his hands low on his hips. “A very tall tale, indeed.”
“I… I just wanted your attention.” Her plainful eyes zoomed in on Stone. Tears filled her eyes as she stared at him with a lost puppy look. “I can’t live out here, Master Eagle! Please, take me back with you to Castle Sin. I promise I won’t bother you. I need to go… home.”
Stone’s eyes lost the glacial shine as he watched her crumble and go down on her knees in front of him. Going down onto his haunches he cupped her chin and tilted her head back to bring her gaze to his.
“You do know that to employed subs and castle work staff, Castle Sin isn’t home, Leigh. It’s their place of employment. Just as it had been yours for the months you were there.”
“Place is clean,” Hawk interjected as he returned from his endeavor.
“But I haven’t completed my tenure!” Leigh continued as if he wasn’t there, standing next to Stone. “I still have ten months left. Please! Please let me come back. There’s nothing here for me, Master Eagle. All I want is to be at Castle Sin, working for you, as a club slave to the members.”
“Except that wasn’t all you wanted, was it, Leigh?” Stone got up, the warmth in his eyes giving way to impassiveness once again.
