Page 103 of Bad Situation

Instead, I turn to my dad and tip my head.

He frowns. “What?”

“Maybe you should apologize to Eli,” I suggest.

My dad shakes his head and doesn’t look the least bit sorry. “I’ll never apologize for protecting my family, Jenny. Ever.”

Speaking of never apologizing, my father stiffens and turns to leave when Trig joins our huddle. My mom ignores Trig’s presence and sighs, giving my hand a squeeze. “You’re coming to the ranch this weekend? I want to cook and celebrate and get to know this whipper-snapper.”

Eli places a warm hand at the small of my back and I realize there’s no way I’m spending the weekend at my parents’ house. “I don’t know. It’s been so busy. We might stay in for a quiet weekend. I’ll let you know.”

“The press is waiting. Do you want to make a statement or do you want me to do it?” Trig asks.

Eli claims me again as I look at Trig. “Could you? The last thing I want to do is speak to reporters.”

As Trig leads the way, Eli leans down and puts his lips to my ear. What he says makes me shiver. “We’ll celebrate tonight. All night. Fuck, all weekend. Your parents will have to wait to get to know me.”

I turn to catch his eyes, but his lips catch mine instead.

Yes. We’re blowing my family off for sure. We’ve got the rest of our lives to be bossed around by my mother.

He lets me go just before we step outside of the federal courthouse. Trig steps in front of us and handles the media. I stand alongside him as he’s bombarded with questions about Bree Newman, Birmingham Refining, the SEC, and my relationship with Elijah Pettit.

Knowing my inclination for privacy, Trig answers none of them, but rather delivers a canned statement about how he’s pleased that justice has prevailed and his client is rightly free to go about her business again.

With Eli at my back and his hand flirting with my ass, I couldn’t agree more.

*****

Being free to move about and get myself from A to D and back to B again, should I wish, is more freeing than I imagined. With Patrick’s killer behind bars, our entire state of security at Montgomery Industries is undergoing a major overhaul. We’re interviewing companies for the job but what we’d really like to do is build that staff in-house. From our firewall to building safety, I don’t want that outsourced. We’re still trying to figure out how Bree broke into our servers.

The Birmingham acquisition is full steam ahead and should be completely settled in the next month. We’re hiring any staff who want to stay but before the plant can be reopened, our environmental teams will do their thing. Once our employees and the environment are deemed safe, operations will commence.

Which leads me to my next phone call. I know I don’t need to, but I pick up the prepaid cell that Eli gave me, in what seems like another lifetime, and press go on the only number stored inside.

He answers after two rings. “Baby. You got your dismissal. I promise you’re not being tapped anymore.”

I turn in my chair and get up to walk to the floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over the cold day. “I know, but it feels weird to call you on anything else. This is our thing.”

I hear him smile. “Then I guess I need to add more money to the account.”

I smile back. “I’m not giving up this phone, so you should get on that.”

“What did you need besides to tell me gadgets make you sentimental.”

I look to my feet. “I need to ask you something.”

“You want to start negotiating positions before the celebrating commences, there’s no need. I’m up for anything you’re in the mood for.”

I smile and close my eyes. “I’m serious.”

His voice dips. “So am I.”

I ignore that. “I told you we’re interviewing companies to revamp our security, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t want to outsource it, it makes me nervous. I want it done in-house.”

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