Exodus (The Ravenhood)

I push myself away from the table and cross my arms. “I’m firm on this.”

Mr. Strauss sighs, pulling his cell phone from his pocket and excusing himself. “I’m not sure he’ll go for it.”

“Oh, he will,” I assure, which gets me lingering looks from both men before the door clicks closed behind him.

Ryan turns to me.

“What are you doing?”

“Trust me.”

“I do, but I’m going to need some clarification. We don’t want any surprises. You know this buyer?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

Mr. Strauss comes back into the room before I can answer.

“Mr. King will be here in twenty minutes.”

It takes everything I have to keep my voice even. “Today?”

He’s here.

Tobias is in Triple Falls.

My mind flits back to the idea that I wasn’t alone last night.

Oh, how he fucks with me just by existing.

I was ready to confront him at some point in the near future, but today, now? My nerves start firing off as I stand and walk over to a row of large windows.

“Please excuse us,” Ryan says, his eyes still on me.

Mr. Strauss nods. “I’ll be just outside. I’ll send him in when he arrives.”

Ryan replies with a quick “thank you” and closes the door behind him. Our eyes connect for a beat before I dart them away.

“Finally, a secret you can’t keep. It’s written all over your face. Who is he?”

“Someone I didn’t think I’d ever see again.”

“Clearly, he wants to see you.”

“Not true. He wanted this to be a quick sale. His name is nowhere on the offer.”

“He knew you could dig and figure it out. He made it too easy.”

“He knew I would see, but he’s made it clear he doesn’t want to see me.”

“So, this is the one that got away from you,” he says, sidling up to me as I move my attention back to the windows. “Cecelia, what’s going on?”

“I’m not sure.” But I am sure he still wants Roman’s company. This was always supposed to happen. But Tobias hasn’t touched it since I left.

“Do you trust this man with the company?”

I nod.