The Other Side of Greed (The Seven Sins #5) - Lily Zante Page 0,58

is, she’ll blame herself for something that is clearly not her fault.

It’s mine.

My life was fine and orderly before I came here. Now, memories of my past stare me in my face. I can no longer push them away. This thing with Redhill isn’t going according to plan, and I’m falling behind with dealing with matters at Hawks Enterprises. I stress about Emma, and then I stress some more about Kyra.

I could leave. Just disappear for a month, take a vacation. Go out into the wild, and hopefully, by the time I come back, all will be forgotten.

But I can’t leave with Emma still in the hospital, especially when the reason she’s hurt is because of me. I’m the one who told her to pick up the papers from my office and to drop them at my house.

The accident happened near my office.

This is my fault.

“Are you sure we can’t convince you to come to City Hall?”

“I can’t. I’m busy. Sorry.”

“You could have met Elias Cardoza.”

If I hear this one more time, I’ll explode. “My bad.” I force a smile, something I seem to be doing most of the time.

She gives me a weighing, assessing look. Her standard X-ray look, and I involuntarily fold my arms, as if this will be protection enough to prevent her from delving deeper inside me.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

KYRA

What’s up with that man? It’s almost as if he has a split personality. One minute he’s fine, and the next he’s closed off. I can’t work him out.

I keep my head down, and I ask Fredrich to get Brad to work with him. Maybe it’s a good thing that he declined the invite to Elias’s event. It would be awkward trying to make conversation with him there.

Simona, Fredrich and I are going together, but because Elias supports our organization, we were given a few extra invitations. We held a raffle to make it fair so that everyone from the company had a chance to go. Entry is by ticket only, and I’m supposed to meet Simona and Fredrich there

On the evening of the event, everyone leaves early.

I’ve been racking my brains on what to wear. A dress? Nice jeans? Dressy slacks? It’s going to be a fancy affair, but I’m not sure how fancy.

I finally settle on a pair of dark jeans which don’t look like jeans, but they are, and I dress them up with a spaghetti strap top. It shows off more of my tattoos, but I’ll have my nice blazer on most of the evening.

I get ready quickly, but Simona calls as I’m about to leave my place. She’s forgotten our invitations in her desk drawer. Thank goodness we gave the raffle winners theirs. I pass by work on the way to city hall, and I quickly rush out of my car and head into the factory. I’m surprised to see that the light in our office is on. Dayna, the factory manager, is still here. She whistles when she sees me. “My, girrrrrl. You’re lookin’ mighty fine.”

“Thank you!” I blow her a kiss as I rush up the stairs in my high heels.

BRANDON

The Redhill office is empty and there’s only me up here and a couple of the workers on the factory floor. I have nowhere else to go, so I stay on at work a little longer and wonder what’s going on at city hall. With Jessica and Kyra at the same place, it seems like I’ve made the right decision to stay out of it.

Jessica will have plenty to brag about, but I’m not eager to see her anytime soon. Fredrich and Simona will have plenty to say about it. I wonder what Kyra will think, and whether she will drone on about Elias the way Jessica has.

I drum my fingers on the table, wondering what to do with myself. I’m not going to pass by the hospital today. Emma’s sisters are over, and they’re going to find it odd that I keep visiting. They’ll get the wrong idea.

I fucked up. If I hadn’t asked her to pick up the paperwork for me, she wouldn’t have been in that accident.

I hold my head in my hands, elbows propped on the desk, wanting to clamber out of my pity party. No amount of me feeling bad will transform Emma back to exactly who she was.

That’s something I will have to live with.

Like my guilt over Kane.

I stand up and walk around, hoping to shift these gloomy thoughts. I should go home, get something