Page 77 of Axe-ing for Trouble

---

I squinted at her. This was a onetime deal, and Ripley knew it. “She’s all right.”

“Thank you both. For making me feel less alone.”

After she coaxed me closer and draped my arm over her torso, I held her as she drifted off. Damn, this felt good. Her in my bed, in my arms. But I knew better than to let myself think it would happen again.

Chapter24

Jude

Trouble:

Can you pull the environmental reports for the last five years?

Lumbersnack:

That’s a lot of files.

Trouble:

I need to review them.

I’ve got a theory.

Lumbersnack:

Care to share?

Trouble:

No. I need to work.

Lumbersnack:

How about resting?

Trouble:

Rest is for the weak. Be a good boy and bring me those files.

Chapter25

Mila

Icouldn’t sit still. My body was pulsating with excitement. I stood and spun, realizing I’d barely left this room in two days.

Jude had dragged me to the kitchen last night and insisted I eat, then coaxed me into the shower. Then he massaged my shoulder until I fell asleep sitting up on the couch.

He carried me to bed without disturbing me, as always, but this time when I woke, he was lying next to me.

I should have been naked and orgasm-drunk with my lumbersnack. Instead, I was holed up, pulling every single dangling thread I could find on this thumb drive.

At first, I couldn’t understand why the charitable donation records of a construction company would interest me. But as I clicked on files, it dawned on me. Each one was filled with several years’ worth of money laundering transactions.

Including some involving Hebert Timber back when Jude’s dad ran the business.

Shell corporations, offshore accounts, random real estate holdings in Quebec, sketchy charities. It was a smorgasbord of shady shit. But how did it all fit together?

One thing was certain: this was much bigger than I had imagined.

---