Page 148 of Unwritten Rules

Anger warmed my skin and I set my jaw. “You don’t get to make assumptions about my best friend like that. I’m going to run a bath. You two can fuck each other for all I care right now.Don’tbother me.”

Stomping down the hall, I slammed and locked the door so I could take a bath in peace. Kelly was gone and she left my things with Dave. Where would she have gone that she couldn’t give me my things or offer me an explanation for what happened earlier with Alexander? Or why she looked so guilty since she got back? It would be a simple conversation where she explained herself and we could rectify it easier. If she was in danger and was being threatened, would she come back to explain? People killed each other over almost nothing in our world.

She held secrets for a reason, but I needed to know what for. The warm bath soothed my aching body, helping me breathe and think. I wanted to lay in it for an eternity so I never had to deal with any of the drama or death again.

Then, my phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Fallon Montgomery?”

“Wrong number, sorry.”

“Wait! My name is Jason Haines and I’m calling about your company. Your aunt Sylvia fucked me over and she’s coming for you next.”

“How did you get this number?”

I was tempted to drown myself right then and right there at the mention of Sylvia. Never did I think I would hear her name again. She booted me out without as much as a sayonara.

“I’ve had you under surveillance since you were eighteen. I’ve always known what you were up to, but I don’t anymore. Can we meet privately?”

What?!“You just admitted tostalkingme and now you’re asking me to meet you privately. You must be out of your damn mind if you think I'd agree to that.”

My bath became not so relaxing. I was naked and some man on the phone just admitted to surveilling me. A growing concern I had was how many people had seen me naked. Were there cameras in my house?

“I’m willing to meet at the Vaughn compound.”

Of course he was. “What the hell do the Vaughns have to do with this? Tell me what thefuckyou know about my aunt.”

“She’s my—well, was—girlfriend.”

“My aunt is your ex-girlfriend,” I repeated. My disbelief dripped from my tone. This had to be a joke or something. Someone would pop out and tell me it was a funny joke they were playing on me. The nightmare couldn’t be real. She was supposed to be long gone, far away where she couldn’t contact me anymore.

“Yes, and she plans to usurp your company just like she did with mine. I’m in hiding and I at least want someone else to have warning before that ruthless woman gets the chance to get her claws into something else.” He sounded genuine, desperate. Like a man who just lost everything, but I knew I couldn’t trust what was being presented to me.

“Fine, but we’re doing thismyway.”

---