Page 68 of Lost in the Light

“So I’m safe? It’s over?” she asked hopefully.

“Yes. We think so,” I nodded. “But your security will remain. Even if this threat is gone, there will always be another because of the family wealth,” I added sternly.

“God, I don’t even care about that. I’m just so relieved we won’t have to hear anything else about Joseph and the monsters he was dealing with,” she sighed.

“And I will definitely second that,” Eli agreed.

“What about the fuckers Aleks was trying to get names for?” Jordan asked.

“They got twenty three names, all of which they gave to the FBI. Arrests should be made by the end of the day today.”

“That’s amazing. I hope they manage to free some of the prisoners those monsters kept,” Addy added.

“I’m sure they will, Angel.”

“Keep your hands off me!” An enraged voice wailed from outside the office, and when I turned to look out of the still open door, I saw Zara charging around the corner in her usual dramatic way. Asher was right behind her, making no attempt to touch her.

“Zara. You can’t be up here. You no longer work here,” Asher sighed, sounding exhausted, and I knew he was. He had beenworking so hard all week to keep things settled around the house for the sake of his siblings, while also dealing with the sale ofLyleand all of the buildings around the country. I was pretty sure he’d barely slept a wink in the process. I got it though. If my father had turned out to be the sick fuck Joesph was, instead of just a useless drunk, I’d want to get rid of everything that connected me to him, as fast as possible, too.

“You can’t just fire me, Asher! You have no grounds. I could sue you!” Zara almost screamed at him.

“I didn’t fire you. I simply don’t have a role for you anymore. The business doesn’t belong to me, and the new owner has his own personal assistant he wanted to work with. I paid you over a year’s salary in severance pay, and gave you several leads for other roles. What more did you want me to do?”

“You can’t treat me like this! You can’t lead me on for over a year, then just throw me aside!” Zara cried.

“Lead you on? I have never led you on. You were my employee and nothing more,” Asher defended himself. I turned to look at Addy and found her just behind me, watching the entire thing unfold. Eli and Jordan were close behind her watching on too.

“You liar!” Zara wailed, then she threw herself at Asher. Her fists made contact with his chest and she hit him a couple of times before Asher got hold of her wrists and tried to hold her back.

“Zara! Stop!” Asher snapped. I could see he was trying hard to restrain her without hurting her, but she was fighting like a hellion to get at him, rage consuming her. She truly was insane.

Just as I moved to go and help Asher out, Addy shot past me and threw herself between the two of them.

“Enough!” She snapped as she pulled Zara’s hands free from Asher’s grip then shoved her backwards so hard, Zara lost her footing in her ridiculous shoes, and fell to her ass on the floor. “Keep your hands off of Asher!” Addy warned, anger in her voice so clearly.

“You!” Zara spat as she stumbled to her feet and pointed at Addy accusingly. “You did this! This is what you wanted all along, wasn’t it? You money grabbing, little whore! Can’t you see what she’s done, Asher? All she wants is your money!”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Addy is my and Eli’s sister. She’s already entitled to a third of everything we have from our father. She hasn’t done anything,” Asher reminded her as Addy stood before him protectively. I would have stepped in if she didn’t look so fucking cute standing up for her brother as she was.

“He doesn’t want you Zara,” Addy said more calmly. “I’m sorry about that, but it’s the truth. It’s time to walk away and move on.”

“He wanted me until you arrived!” Again Zara was waving a finger at Addy as rage seethed from her. “You think you won, but you didn’t. Asher is mine!” She stepped right up in Addy’s face and Asher and I both stepped forward to intervene, but we didn’t need to. Addy grabbed Zara’s finger and twisted it until she had Zara’s arm behind her back. Zara squawked in discomfort as she bent over to try and relieve the pain in her arm.

“No one won, you psycho. This isn’t a game. I’m just his sister. I don’t know what’s going on in your head, but Asher’s not interested, and he’s certainly not yours, Zara. He never was, and he never will be. Leave him the fuck alone, and walk away with the shreds of dignity you have left,” Addy told her in a voice so calm it shocked the shit out of me.

Addy managed to move Zara further away from Asher and closer to the door, Zara having no choice but to follow or hurt her arm seriously. Once they were near the corner, Addy gave her a shove and Zara stumbled forwards but remained upright.

“You need me, Asher. You know you do!” Zara cried as she turned and tried to straighten herself up with the arm that wasn’t hurting.

“Leave now!” Addy barked as she pointed to the door.

“This isn’t over. I know who and what you are!” Zara hissed glaring right at Addy.

“Yeah, okay. Great villainous exit. I get it,” Addy dismissed her with a scoff. “Off you go now. Don’t let the door hit your perfect ass on the way out!”

We all walked around the corner to watch Zara storming from the office. When she tripped over the plant she’d thrown to the floor, we all sniggered, especially when Zara turned back to us all with a glare.

“That was fucking brilliant, princess,” Jordan laughed once Zara was in the lift and out of sight. I’d already text my guys working in the lobby to make sure she exited the building and was kept out.

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