Page 99 of Don't Bet On It
A scowl marred her beautiful features. “Yeah, I’ve seen her a few times. Luckily, she can’t get near the high rollers lounge.”
“Well, maybe she and Ryder ran into each other there when they were both skulking about.”
“I guess that fits.” Tallulah had lost interest in her mac and cheese and was rubbing the back of her neck. I’d learned it was one of her tells for when she was feeling anxious. “Why would he want to hang out with her, though?”
“I don’t know.” It wasn’t hard to figure out why someone like Sharon would want to hang out with him. Ryder might have been out of power, but he was determined to get it back. Sharon was the type who would glom on to the effort in the hopes thatshe would benefit if she helped him regain his seat on the board. Had Tallulah figured that out?
One look at her face told me that she had. She looked shell-shocked.
“Should we get the food to-go?” I didn’t want her to sit here and suffer. She’d been so happy only moments ago. That her good time was being ruined by Ryder freaking Stone and her mother from hell filled me with rage. I wanted to punch somebody.
“Huh?” Tallulah forced her gaze to me, and I could tell she was trying to work things out. She wasn’t even really listening to me. “No, it’s fine,” she said. “Sharon doesn’t notice me when we’re in a tiny living room together. She’s not going to notice me in here.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“I’m not sure what there is to talk about.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “I just need to think for a little bit. Is that okay?”
I nodded. Of course it was okay. “Whatever you need.”
She went back to her mac and cheese, and I stewed. Ryder Stone was definitely up to something. Perhaps it was time to figure out what and nip it in the bud. If he was going to be parading Sharon around, then I wanted him gone.
Where would I go to make that happen, though? Only one name popped into my mind. Zach. He wanted his father gone too. Maybe he could help me.
27
TWENTY-SEVEN
My initial inclination upon seeing my mother with Ryder Stone was to tell Olivia I had no loyalty to Sharon. If she and Ryder were up to no good, they deserved to get into trouble. Still, I hesitated.
And that was how I found myself in Candy’s office an hour before my shift was supposed to start the following day. I had sat on the information for a full twenty-four hours, wondering what in the world I was supposed to do with it. I’d worked with Ronan in the studio and then separated from him two hours before, pretending I’d forgotten my uniform at home when it was really in my bag. His shift started an hour before mine, so it made sense we wouldn’t go in together.
“Well, this is a surprise.” She leaned back in her chair and regarded me with unfathomable eyes. “I never thought you would purposely seek me out. I was under the impression I would have to keep chasing you if I ever wanted to get anywhere.”
“This isn’t about me,” I insisted.
Candy arched an eyebrow. “Is it about Ronan?”
That question threw me. “No. I … no.” Vehemently, I shook my head. “Why would you think it’s about Ronan?”
“Because you two have been spending a lot of time together. The Stone gossip machine is in high gear where you’re concerned.” Her eyes twinkled, suggesting she was amused.
Well, she wasn’t going to stay amused. “Ronan and I are … figuring things out.” That was the only way I could describe what was going on between us. “That’s not why I’m here, though.”
“No?” She leaned back in her chair, her eyes shrewd. “Then tell me why you’re here.”
“I’m here because there’s something weird going on.”
“With Kyla?”
I made a face. “There’s always something weird going on with her. Kyla’s weird doesn’t hold a candle to the new weird, though.”
“And what’s the new weird?”
I told her what Ronan and I had seen, leaving nothing out. I wasn’t prone to histrionics, so I was matter of fact with my retelling. When I finished, I just stared as I waited for her to respond. Unfortunately, she didn’t seem as worked up as I’d expected.
“So your mother has been seen with Ryder Stone.” She pursed her lips, absorbing the information. “I guess I’m not certain why that’s important.”
Frustration reared up and grabbed me by the throat. “My mother can’t be trusted. If she’s here, working with the man who single-handedly almost took down the entire Stone empire, that’s a bad thing. There are no circumstances where any of this could be considered good.”
