Page 29 of The Union
“You offered Ray a ton of money,” I said.
“Money always talks,” Adam added. “If we’re done, I would like to continue.”
Adam could wait. I grabbed the side of my neck and rubbed at a kink in my muscle. “And where do you come in, Granny?”
“Ray called me immediately after he talked to Lester. He filled me in on you, what you’ve done, the mess at the military base, and how my son, Jack, has lost his way. So I’m here to bring my family back together and take control. Something I should’ve done a long time ago. Where are my sons? I understand they were with you.”
“And Noah?” Rianne added.
To drop the bomb or not about Ray’s death. That was the question.
Adam’s nostrils flared. “I’m not going to say this again. If I have to, Harriet, I’ll cut you out of the deal. Your family problems can wait.”
My grandmother sneered at Adam as though she was running things around here and not him. “Layla, where’s Ray and Jack?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I stole a car and came here.” Part lie. Part truth. “I wanted to talk to Carly and ask if she knew where you were.” I eyed my sister. “I see that you’re fine.”
The temptation to run ignited my adrenaline, but again, I couldn’t do that if Sam was behind curtain number one.
“I’m glad you’re here to see your vamp boyfriend in action,” Rianne said with too much vigor.
“You won’t succeed.” Though a corporation with money, resources, and a large team behind it had the means to win the war, what it didn’t have was supernatural powers. At least not yet. Or maybe its team had already altered humans into vampires, and I was about to witness the progress.
“Oh, we will,” Rianne said, as sure as I was trembling where I stood. “Your bloodsucker will be our shining star.”
I dove for Rianne and tackled her to the floor. Before I could throw a punch, strong arms banded around me.
“Layla,” Junior said in my ear. “Not now.” He lifted me off her but not without one last-ditch effort from me.
My fist connected with her jaw. “What happened to you? You changed overnight.”
She grinned, massaging the spot I’d hit. “I didn’t. You did.” She climbed to her feet.
Junior ushered me to the end seat away from my grandmother and Rianne.
“Finally,” Adam said. “And Harriet, if you bring your family problems into our next meeting, I’ll cut our deal in half.”
Harriet’s smile was lethal as she nodded at Adam.
A drumbeat thumped in my ears as I processed what I’d just learned. Carly was the mastermind? I couldn’t articulate how I felt about that, but I sure as heck hadn’t seen that coming.
11
LAYLA
Ibounced my knee, waiting for the curtains to open. I had no idea how my heart would fare when I laid eyes on Sam. Based on Rianne’s statement that Sam would be their shining star, I had a feeling, whatever Intech had planned, there was more than just Sam’s DNA at stake.
Rianne was messing with a switch near the microphone. Adam was restless, Lester had a satisfied smirk on his face, Junior was biting a nail, and my grandmother was texting on her phone. I suspected she was trying to contact Ray and Jack.
“Rianne, what’s wrong with the mic?” Adam asked.
“It’s the switch for the curtain,” Rianne replied. “It isn’t working.”
Adam went over to inspect things.
The waiting ate at my stomach lining, and the need to scream clawed at my throat.
Harriet leaned over Lester. “Layla, you’ll come to see that what we’re doing is the right thing.”
