Page 83 of Burn Like An Angel

“Xan, I thought we agreed?—”

“I didn’t cut a deal or make any agreements with them. The person I spoke to offered a secure rendezvous to exchange information. The same protection offer. I’ve got his contact number.”

“Who was it? The director?” Ripley asks.

“No, someone called Theodore.”

“Theo?” she repeats, eyes narrowed. “I know that name.”

We all wait for her to cycle through her thoughts. Ripley dusts off her sugar-speckled fingertips, the doughnut now discarded.

“In the Z wing…” She shakes her head. “The woman, Alyssa. She was communicating with her team. I heard her call his name. Theo.”

“So he’s legit,” Lennox concludes.

“Seems so.” I focus on Ripley. “She’s dead.”

Ripley’s eyes snap up to mine. “What?”

“The pink-haired mole. She died.” I shrug nonchalantly. “Sounds like this Theodore character has some personal stake in taking Bancroft down. He seemed committed to helping us.”

“I bet he did!” Lennox explodes in frustration. “You know that Incendia has their claws in everyone! Government. Private companies. Investors. They’re probably bankrolling these Sabre pricks too!”

“No.” Ripley turns to face off against Lennox. “Warner works for them. I trust his judgement.”

“Some anonymous guard who ditched us? Great plan, Rip.”

“I’m telling you, he’s on our side, Nox!” she argues back. “Would it kill you to have some faith for once?”

“Yes! It could kill us!”

Anger tattooed into every line of his expression, Lennox pushes off from the kitchen cabinets and disappears deeper into the mobile home. I wait for one of the bedroom doors to slam shut before speaking again.

“That was a rather short honeymoon period.”

“Fuck off, Xan.” Ripley clenches her eyes shut. “His trust issues are going to get us killed.”

I’d like to point out the irony that she’s demanding trust from the man she tried to frame, but something tells me it wouldn’t go down well. Besides, the pair seem to be putting theirdifferences aside, if Lennox’s heartfelt display in the kitchen was any indication.

“He has a point,” Raine says quietly. “You of all people know how deep the corporation’s ties run. We should be cautious.”

Ripley stares down at her bandaged leg, the white cotton revealed by the long, oversized tee she wears with panties.

“Care to fill me in?”

Raine’s head tilts in my direction, but he doesn’t answer. I wait for Ripley to gather herself, watching her chest rise as she takes a deep breath.

“Bancroft. Incendia’s president.”

I nod in response. “We were acquainted in Priory Lane.”

“Well, I met him before the Z wing.” Her nose scrunches with a look of revulsion. “Incendia Corporation controls a huge portfolio of assets. Including two major investment firms in London.”

I’m aware that her richer than sin uncle is an investment banker. Apparently, he’s embroiled in all this too. He dripped with entitlement and wealth during his trip to the medical wing when Rick carved her up.

I overheard his brutal disownment speech. The man holds no love in his heart for the orphaned, mentally ill niece he was lumped with. Something inside Ripley broke that day when he walked away.

“You’re sure he’s involved?”

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