Page 48 of Between Passion and Revenge: Part One

“Wow is right,” he says, his voice getting louder as he leans into the ribbing. “Who would have thought that lil’ Storm would have a crush on a girl.”

I suck my teeth. “Man, if you don’t get the fuck outta here with all that bullshit.”

I don’t know why I’m pushing back on this so much. I do have a crush on Shae. In fact, I probably have a little more than a crush and somewhere a fraction south of infatuation.

She’s exactly the type of woman I want. She’s strong, bold, smart as fuck, and goddamn she’s so fucking sexy. And when she grows into who she’s destined to be?

She’ll be in a whole different universe.

But I think that’s why I’m hesitant to tell Riale about her and how I feel. Because I know she’s like lightning in a bottle.

Impossible to contain…and I would never want to hold her back.

“We’re working together on a project,” I say, “and there’s definitely some tension there. But I doubt it’s gonna go any further than that.”

Riale looks a fraction less amused.

“On your end or hers?”

I think about that for a second. “I don’t know.”

Something on my face must alert Riale that he’s hit the end of my tolerance, and he changes the subject.

“Lakeland’s been moving funny,” he says.

“And the Pope is Catholic,” I shoot back.

Riale doesn’t laugh. Instead, he grabs his water bottle, swirling it around like he’s trying to work out how to tell me something.

“Storm. I’m serious. I heard something. Quiet, but credible.”

My eyes snap to his.

“What kind of something?”

He shrugs, but it’s forced. “He’s having meetings. Off-books. Not at the office. Word is he’s bringing in outside consultants.”

I narrow my eyes. “For Stratos?”

Riale nods. “Maybe for something bigger. Maybe for something dirtier. But he’s planning something. And he’s doing it fast.”

My pulse ticks harder.

First, he’s handed the company. Now he’s cleaning house?

I stare at the spot on the floor where my gloves landed. I should be relieved the kiss with Shae didn’t derail my focus.

But all it did was wake something up.

This war isn’t just coming. It’s already started.

10

SHAE

Iwould have thought I’d hallucinated from carbon monoxide poisoning or something if I hadn’t woken up the morning after The Incident with my tote bag and Nalgene sitting outside my apartment door.

Grateful we live in as safe a building as we do, I brought my stuff in and am ashamed to admit I stared at both items on my coffee table for a solid thirty minutes before gathering the courage to search through my bag.

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