Page 17 of Secrets

"So, here's the thing, Bodie. I talked to Chicago, and he's not sure why she took money from her boss. He'd been giving her money for your medication for almost a year. On top of that, even if she had taken from her boss, there's a three-year limitation on pressing charges. If it was over that timeframe, she's out of danger. In fact, we could file a complaint against him."

Pacing, he pauses. She's been sleeping with her boss for four years to get out of having charges pressed against her for a grand? And what did she need the money for? Chicago was giving her money, which he had no idea about until just now.

"Bodie, are you there?" Lily asks.

"Yeah, I'm here. Sorry, I'm just... How well do you know Lex?"

She snorts. "Better than almost everyone except her husband. Why?"

"She's usually pretty smart and right about things, isn't she?"

"Annoyingly so, yes. She told you she doesn't buy this, right? It sounds like a lie being fed to you?"

Closing his eyes, he pinches the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, and the more you say, the more I think she was right. And I was kind of an ass about it."

"The thing about Lex, which is also one of her flaws, is that she's a rather forgiving person. As long as you have a reason behind it, and you're a decent person, she won't hold it against you."

"Define decent."

"She's the daughter of an Original Ten. The definition of decent for us is much more lax than the average person."

He sighs. "I guess I'll find out if this is true when I tell her what you told me."

"Let me know how it goes. If she's still sticking to her story, which, I hate to say it, but I think Lex was right, bring her by my office in Griffin's Beach next week. We'll talk and discuss our options and best path forward."

"Thanks, Lily. I'll let you know if we end up heading your way."

Hanging up, Bodie shakes his head, clearing the thoughts from his mind that Evie may be lying, and walks into the room to find Evie sitting up, still completely naked.

"There you are. I was worried you took off on me."

His leather and boots are still on the floor. Where was he going barefoot? "No, I had a phone call."

"Oh yeah? Need to leave for club business or something?"

"No," he says and moves to sit on the bed. "That was our club lawyer. We talked about the situation with your boss. Since you took money over three years ago, the statute of limitations for him pressing charges is over. You're free of his threats. And if you want to, we can press charges against him for forcing you into this relationship. He'll have to face the fucking music."

She shakes her head. "What?"

"Yeah, just let me know when you have time available next week to go to Griffin's Beach to talk to Lily, and we'll figure out the next steps. As much as I'd like to bash his face into the fucking wall, the legal route might be better. Show him we're not just cavemen who fall on the side of biblical justice."

"You told your club lawyer?"

"I didn't, but Lex did. Besides, you didn't want me to run out and break his fucking neck, and he can't get away with this, Evie. And he can't hurt you anymore," he says, and as her anger washes over her, he knows Lex was right. It's all just a lie.

Standing, she searches for her panties and slips them on. "God, Bodie, why would you let her do this?"

"Let her do what?"

"Just, God, just stay out of it!"

"You realize you're asking me to do nothing after telling me your boss forced you to have sex with him in order not to turn you in for stealing money for my meds, right? Do you even remember who I am?"

Her fists clench as she stands before him, wearing only her panties still, and she can't look at him. "Damn it, Bodie!"

"Unless, of course, that's not what happened, Evie. Because I'm struggling to figure out why you stole the money."

"What are you talking about? You needed medication-"

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