Technical Threat (Westin Force #4) - Julie Trettel Page 0,43
keep it safe was a hard test of fate.
My head was still swirling with questions. I didn’t understand how he had found me. I’d been so careful and had enough layers built in that it couldn’t have been easy. I wanted to say impossible, but I knew better than anyone that there was no such thing as impossible when someone wanted something bad enough.
The odds that Westin Force would send my one true mate to track me were near impossible, yet here he was. One true mate? I scoffed. I had never believed such a thing existed, yet here he was, and I was unable to deny the powerful connection between us.
Maybe I should have just told him about Sonnet. If he was part of Westin Force, then maybe he could help. The thing was, I hadn’t yet determined if they were the good guys or the bad guys. What if Tarron worked with the Raglan?
Being that he was a shifter too led me to hope he did not, but I couldn’t be sure, and I would not risk my sister’s life on a hope.
I was sly and cautious as foxes should be. I still believed I’d find my sister again someday, but I couldn’t deny that this encounter with Tarron had me more than a little shaken.
Sage had picked up my shift for me and was tending to my tables. I wished she had pitched in like this more often, Sapphire too. Maybe the entire world wouldn’t have been pressing down on my shoulders alone all these years.
It wasn’t long before Shay walked in. She was almost giddy with excitement and there was a skip in her step. For a second, I wondered if she were drunk.
“What have you been hiding, Susan? No matter. It will all come out now. You should probably know that the FBI are investigating you and confiscated your computer for testing. I told them not to bother returning it.” She glared at me in challenge.
I had the urge to punch her in the face, but I took a calming breath knowing that had to have been Tarron’s cover story. Besides, I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.
Jimmy walked in behind her. I was a little surprised to see him there so late.
“Hey.” He leaned in and kissed my cheek, ignoring my mother. I knew how much he despised her. “Your lawyer is on it today. He already has the contract for purchase written up and sent a copy over to my lawyer to take a look at.”
“Wow, that was fast.”
“What is this about?” Shay asked.
“The sale of Shay Vous, as you requested.”
She pursed her lips. “I’m not selling to him.”
“You don’t get to decide who the buyer is.”
“I’m not selling then,” she said defiantly.
“Then you will have to find yourself a new head cook,” Jimmy said. “Because I’m opening my own restaurant.”
“And a new manager,” Tarron said causing my mother to jump.
Shay turned and glared at him. “You can’t just take my daughter, agent.”
“Actually, I can. It’s called the law. She’ll be returning with me for further investigation.”
Shay’s mouth dropped open like a fish out of water.
“You can’t do that. Who will run things here? I need her!”
I was frustrated that Tarron would make decisions about my life for me, but I wasn’t about to air that in front of my mother. We would definitely be talking about it soon though.
“What have you gotten yourself into this time?” she demanded. “I can’t be cleaning up your mess, Susan. You’re supposed to be cleaning up mine.”
“She’s your daughter, ma’am. That’s not her job,” Tarron said through gritted teeth.
I smiled at him thankfully despite everything. No one ever stood up to my mother, but especially not on my behalf. I didn’t want to let on just how much that meant to me.
“I guess it’s your choice then, Mom. Sell to Jimmy or handle it all on your own. I won’t be around to be your punching bag any longer.”
Tarron’s hands fisted at his sides and his eyes went dark as he glared at the back of my mother’s head.
I had a memory from earlier when he noticed the faint mark still on my cheek where she had slapped me. He had been upset about it, but I didn’t understand why at the time. I probably shouldn’t have mentioned that in front of him.
His dark eyes shifted, and I could see the almost cat-like look of his fox’s eyes.
“In fact,” I announced. “I think I’m leaving early tonight.”