my messaging app to the chat thread between me, my dad, and my brother. “Look at the date on that message. The deal between the De Witts and Alstone Holdings is due to be signed the day after this meeting Christine’s having.”
“Oh, fuck,” she breathed. “This must be what my mother meant in the email when she mentioned a contract being signed. We have to be there.”
“I know. We’ll cause a distraction. I want everyone prepared. You need to train.”
“Ooh, like ninja skills?” She kicked her leg out in front of her, accidentally kicking Weston’s chair, and he gave her a dirty look while I laughed.
“Yeah, just like that, baby.”
“I don’t know what we’re going to do, but we need to plan everything. It’s time we put the rest of this puzzle together so we can get all the evidence and take it to your dad.”
“Here.” Weston interrupted our conversation again, handing Winter his phone. “These are the other emails. Just evidence that he was keeping tabs on you, Winter. Forwarding stuff to your mother.”
She scrolled through, her face darkening. “I can’t believe he actually sent these photos to my mother.” There were only a few emails, but attached to each were pictures of my girl around the campus, taken without her knowledge. He’d also sent her details on Winter’s assignment grades, the fucker.
Enough.
Fucking enough. Our time was running short, and I needed to step up.
I raised my voice. “House meeting tonight.”
Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at me.
“Does that include me?” Kinslee broke the sudden silence.
“Yeah. Lena, too, if you can get hold of her, Cass.”
He nodded. “Guess we have to start speaking to each other again sometime.”
“She giving you trouble?” I eyed him curiously.
“Nah, we had a bit of a falling-out over her bad decisions. She knows how I feel about her getting involved in all that shit down at the docks, but she can’t see that she’s been putting herself in danger.” He groaned. “Why are women so fucking stubborn?”
Winter and Kinslee both gave him identical unimpressed looks, and I smirked at him. “Best not to even go there, mate.”
He sat back, muttering to himself, and Winter twisted around to face me fully.
“What about James?” she asked softly, her blue eyes staring into mine. As if I could deny her anything.
“Fuck,” I muttered reluctantly. “Give me his number.”
She gave me a bright smile and kissed my cheek. “Coming right up.”
I tapped out a text to Granville. Fucking Granville.
Me: Time to pick a side. Are you with us or against us?
Granville: Who’s this?
Me: Who do you fucking think it is?
Granville: Did Winter give you my number?
Me: Irrelevant. One more time Granville. Are you with us or against us?
Granville: What’s going on? I need more info
I growled, already irritated. “West? Forward me a screenshot of that email, will ya?”
I waited impatiently as he tapped at his phone, and finally the new message alert appeared on my screen. I saved the screenshot and sent it to Granville, then sat back to wait for his reply. Almost ten fucking minutes passed before he finally decided to respond.
Granville: I’m assuming you have a plan?
Me: OFC I have a plan
Granville: Good. Are you going to catch me up on everything I need to know?
I blew out a frustrated breath. “Are you sure we can trust him?”
My girl nodded, reading the messages I was exchanging with Granville. “I’m sure we can.”
“Okay.”
Me: Yes.
Granville: I’m in.
Me: There’s no going back.
Granville: I know.
Me: If you’re with us, don’t fuck it up. No second chances.
Granville: *eyeroll emoji*
I growled, again. “Why does he have to be such an irritating fucker?”
Winter laughed, then nuzzled into my neck, scraping her nails lightly across the back of my neck, and my irritation disappeared just like that. Mostly. “Need some stress relief?” she suggested, and kissed my jaw.
“Yes, I fucking do.”
“I’ll sort you out. After the house meeting,” she promised, her tone low and suggestive.
“You’d better. I’m gonna need a lot of stress relief after dealing with Granville.”
She pulled back to look at me and rolled her eyes. Between her and fucking Granville, there was way too much eye rolling directed at me. “Play nice,” she warned. “Then I’ll reward you.”
I lunged forward, pulling her to me and sinking my teeth into her neck. She shrieked, laughing, making me laugh in turn.
“Can you two give it a fucking rest?” Zayde muttered.
“Sorry, mate.”
My phone buzzed again as I released Winter, and I saw yet another message from Granville.
Granville: What’s the plan?
Me: Be