Page 64 of Crushed
“I’m calling off the assignment,” I said in one quick breath. “As per SNC regulations, consultants are able to judge their assignments based on their own personal code. As such, I have determined that Cormac Stone isn’t a fit target. You will be completely refunded, and Cormac will no longer be available as a target in SNC.”
Issac’s eyes bulged, his face turning red. He restrained himself in jerky movements.
“What makes you think a man like that is capable of redemption?” he said slowly.
“The world isn’t black and white,” I said. “There are variations, and just because Cormac has done a few bad things, doesn’t mean he deserves to be eliminated.”
“A few bad things?” Issac put his hands on the sides of the table, and I looked down my nose at him. He was trying to use intimidation tactics on me. Hah! “Tell me,” he continued, “how is stealing my whole life’s work, my entire fortune, simply ‘a few bad things’ to you?”
“He never hurt anyone,” I said calmly. “Blackmail is unfortunate, but Cormac has his reasons.”
“Cormac this, Cormac that. What happened to Stone?” He narrowed his eyes. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were you in love with him.”
My instinct was to look away, but at that moment, I had to be strong. I was in love with Cormac. I didn’t have to be ashamed of that.
Issac blinked his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. “Incredulous. Youdolove him!” He laughed wildly and a few coffee shop patrons turned to gawk at us. “I knew when Lizzy said you were going solo that it was a mistake.”
Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe it wasn’t.
“I apologize for the inconvenience,” I said. I made a move to stand, but he grabbed my arm.
“You give up the assignment, and with it, the chance to know who murdered your parents.” He shook his head. “I can give you their names, but if you drop out, if you walk out of that door, their names will be gone forever.”
I lifted my chin. “I can’t change what happened to them.” But I could determine what happened to Cormac.
“But youcanavenge them,” Issac said. “Think of Stone this way. He has blackmailed and coerced more businessmen into doing what he wants than there are consultants within the network. And trust me, Scarlett, that when I say Cormac is willing to do anything, I do mean anything.” He waved his arms frantically. “He’d kill to own a company he wants. Perhaps that’s what he’ll do with TSP.” He leaned back in his chair with a calculated stance. “How will your personal code help you out of that one? Is human life really worth that?”
There was truth to what Issac was saying. Cormacwaswilling to do whatever it took to control the companies, to have power over treatment and cures, to protect his daughter from an early death like her mother. But did it completely cancel out any sort of actions he took?
Would he smother me in a cage, like he did with his daughter? Would Rose ever breathe fresh air? Would there be a day when I never saw the sunlight again?
No. I needed to follow through with this. Even if Cormac was doing this for the right reasons and was still willing to kill to protect his daughter, I understood him. He was doing it for his daughter. My parents would have protected me in the same way. And who would I be if I didn’t stick around longer and try to convince him to let Rose run around in the grass, to take in a breath of fresh air, to let her feel the sunlight on her skin? To see her daddy lazing happily in the grass beside her.
“The deal is off,” I said with sternness to my tone. “Cormac Stone will not be terminated by any of the consultants in the network. Good luck taking your business elsewhere.”
What that really meant, was that the network would protect him. He had friends now. Friends like me.
“That’s how it is, then, huh?” Issac said, raising his voice. “You’ll give it up because the man gave you some juicy dick.”
A few awkward glances turned towards us. “Goodbye, Issac,” I said.
“Fuck your parents too, then, I suppose.” I walked away as he shouted, “Your parents wouldn’t have let you do this. Make no mistake, Scarlett. Stone deserves to die.”
I glanced at the barista and offered a shrug. She raised her hand to her ear. “Should I call security?” she asked.
“I would do that.”
I waved to the man in the black SUV, but he stared at me. As soon as I started my car, he started his car too. There wasn’t any point in avoiding it. Cormac wouldn’t give up following me.
***
Why was I in love with someone who was capable of drowning another person in their love? Rose was protected, but she was drowning. And one day, that could be me too. He already had security following me, probably recording everything I was doing. How long would it take before I was locked inside his bedroom without a key?
But would that really be such a big deal?
Of course it would. I needed to be able to trust him, and I couldn’t do that if he didn’t let me breathe.
I pulled onto the highway and drove straight to Cormac’s estate, not bothering with the Dahlia District. At this point, we needed to confront the issue. The SUV was behind me the whole way.
