Page 19 of The Aries Alliance
“If I agree to this alliance, what do I get out of this? If people find out I’m working with you, that’ll be the end of my career. I can’t afford to be reckless.”
“I won’t lie to you. There will be risks involved.”
“I also don’t come from wealth. If I’m blackballed, some members of my extended family won’t eat. My dad has cancer and can’t work. I’m already hanging on by a thread.” Scarlett’s rambling revealed a side of herself that made me want to comfort her.
She hid her anxiety well. Her sad eyes reminded me of the trauma my mother sometimes showed. Scarlett was right about the risk and was smart for thinking about how she might be harmed for being rebellious. If I left EFU, countless collaborators would run to support me, but as a Black woman, she’d be marked for her active participation in our plan.
“What do you see for yourself in an ideal world?” I shifted the conversation to see if her values might help her decide how she wanted to move.
Scarlett paused.
“I haven’t had much time to think about it since the investigation findings. I’m just trying to make it day to day. I guess the answer is, I don’t know.”
“That’s fair. If you do this, you’ll never be without a job. I’ll dive into my deep network of contacts to ensure that you maintain your current way of life.”
“How do I know you won’t use me? Or back out of our deal? I don’t know you, Mr. Redmond.” She hissed my name, similar to how she did in my office earlier.
“Mr. Redmond might make you anxious, but War will never abandon you. He is who I am at my core.” I moved Scarlett’s hand to my heart.
She bit her plump bottom lip.
“I want to trust War,” she said in a soft voice as she squeezed my fingers.
“I want you to trust him too. I can’t guarantee freedom from harm, but I can assure you I’ll be by your side every step of the way.”
She shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
“Give me a chance to make this right, to avenge you. I want to do for you what someone should have done for my mother.”
“Like a justice crusade?”
“Something like that.”
“Okay.” Scarlett’s soft voice had me excited for what was to come in our unique partnership.
Sealed
I never sawmyself as an undercover operative, but it made sense as War shared his motivation for vengeance. Despite his in-your-face approach, I felt in my bones that he was a noble man. The way he shared his mother’s story showed me firsthand that he could be empathetic. It made me want to share more of myself with him.
“Let’s seal this deal with something special, starting with a drink.” War picked up a half-full wine glass and lifted it toward me.
I did the same, then clicked my glass with his before downing the slightly chilled liquid. We lowered our glasses and, for the next few minutes, sat in comfortable silence.
“Tell me about your support system. Who can you lean on as you embark on this escapade?” he asked.
Since I just let my guard down, should I share insider information about those closest to me?
“You can trust me,” he said as if he had read my mind. “Take a chance to tell me the truth.”
I took a big breath as War studied my features.
“Give me a minute. EFU has taught me to be guarded.” I picked up my water glass and took another sip of water, followed by a deep breath.
He nodded.
“Take your time.”
