Page 6 of The Photograph

Destroy the greedy bitch and make her pay for what she did to Mike.“She’s after money and she sleeps with her clients. So, I’m her ideal mark. I’m going to let her do her thing and nail her to a fucking wall.”

Cal swipes a white linen towel across his mouth and shakes his head. “You’re going to honey trap Mikey’s ex?” When I grunt, Cal says, “Bro, I’ve got your back no matter what, but don’t you want to at least hear her side of the story first? What exactly did Mikey say happened?”

“All I could get from him is that he told her he loved her, but she threw him out because he didn’t have money.”

When Caleb frowns, I tense. “Isn’t that what Vanessa did to you? You and Mike must be the unluckiest bastards I know. Or your dicks have the shittiest taste in women.”

“Fuck you, Cal.”

After biting off half of his slice, he smirks. “Love you, too, bro. Where’s Mikey nowadays?”

Mike hates his childhood moniker. “Don’t let him hear you call him that.”

My sardonic friend smirks. “He’ll always be Mikey to me. I’m not going to change it

just because the boy’s balls have dropped.”

Such a pain in the ass.“I think he’s somewhere in South America doing his thing. He said he’ll try to make it home for Christmas.”Which leaves me enough time.

Cal sits back and I take a swallow of my beer. “It’s a bad idea, G. Whatever happened between her and Mikey—”

Anger throbs in my temples and I slam the bottle on the table. “You saw what she did to him. And now that little bitch is prancing around town like nothing happened. She’s already been at her old tricks here.”

After a heavy sigh, Cal’s elbows hit the table. “So, what’s your plan? You hire her to restore your family home then tell her you’re Mike’s big brother, and expect her to … just what? Leave? Even if you’re right, she didn’t do anything illegal. It’s the oldest story in the book and you don’t know for sure this is what happened.”

He has a point.“I watched my brother relearn how to walk because of that bitch. I’ll find something.”

“Huh. Sound plan, bud.” Cal retrieves his cell from the back pocket of his jeans. “Give me her name, I’ll look her up.”

Being an ex-federal agent who now owns a private protection firm, Cal has enough contacts to find everything on anyone, but like every time he’s offered to help, I shake my head. Aelin Thorne nearly took my only family from me, and this is fucking personal. When she goes down, I want her to know I did all of it.

“No, I’m good.”

At the end of our lunch, I toss several bills on the table while the pretty hostess makes her way back to us. When the brunette directs her smile at Cal, I slap his shoulder and make my way toward the exit.

By the time I’m at the heavy metal door and shake the restaurant owner’s hand, Cal’s behind me. Out in the back parking lot, we fall in step silently as we reach Cal’s bike.

Throwing his leg over the black saddle, his helmet in hand, Cal says. “I’m in town for the next few days. Beer on Sunday?”

I put my sunglasses on. “That works. Where are you staying?”

Cal pulls the clutch of the gleaming bike in. “In my house in Eaton. Let me know how it goes with her.”

“Sure.” I make my way to my car.

****

It’s 10:58 AM when I enter the large boardroom where Tim Smithson is already seated at the long oval table while Ann checks the paperwork set before her. I glance at the files she prepared. Aelin Thorne is the last presentation.

Ann gets to her feet and pivots toward me. “Ready for the first candidate?”

After Smithson and I nod, she lets in an attractive blonde in a fitted dress who walks in the room with assurance. She smiles at my collaborators, and her eyes lingers on me before she starts her presentation.She’s the type I go for.But sleeping with people who work for me is never worth the aggravation.

“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I’m Tracy and it’s my privilege to present my vision for Holloway House.”

She goes on for the next half hour and thanks us before exiting the room. After the second presentation, I tap my index finger on the table and glance at my wrist while a knock on the door signals her scheduled time.

Ann shuffles paperwork on the table before opening the door. “Aelin? Come in, please.”

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