family had. Half had even come right out and asked.
Claire laughed as she sat in the garden out back. It didn’t seem to her like the brightest idea to ask someone if they killed another person. If they had no problem killing one person, what would make them not kill the next? It just seemed like flawed logic to her. Perhaps the wealthy party goers found a bit of excitement in the idea they might be around someone dangerous.
She pulled off her shoes and massaged her feet. Heels were cute, but they were murder on her arches.
“I see I’m not the only one trying to escape,” Jason said from just behind her.
He came down the winding path and stopped just beside her.
Claire stood. “Oh, Jason, I didn’t realize you were here,” she said.
Anna had spent most of the night with her, making sure that each person knew who she was.
“I’m not surprised,” he said and moved a little closer. “Anna’s busy working while you and I get to slip away.”
Claire narrowed her eyes. “I’m not sure I understand.”
“No need to get huffy,” he snapped. She noticed he seemed far more disheveled than she had ever seen him before. “Just some people are made for more in life.”
“Anna is very good at her job,” she said, irritation seeping into her voice.
Jason gave a hollow laugh. “I’m sure she is. She should be considering she isn’t going to progress much further.”
Claire frowned.
“So, I hear congratulations are in order.” He smiled at her, but there didn't seem to be much warmth in it. “Too bad your little plan backfired.”
“What are you talking about?” she asked and backed up just a little. Her legs hit the bench as he stepped forward.
“Having your cousin take out Harriet,” he said. “Of course it put a crimp in my plans.” He gave her a wicked grin. “But then I started thinking, why be with a nobody when I could be with a somebody?”
Her stomach churned as his meaning dawned on her.
“You’re married to Anna,” she said quietly. Maybe he was just drunk, and she could fix this.
“Your cousin took care of Harriet. I’m sure he could do the same for Anna,” he said simply, as if he hadn’t just asked her to have his wife killed.
“That’s not how Finn works. He’s not in that line of work anymore,” she said. “I can’t even do this.”
She turned to walk away but stopped when he grabbed her arm tightly.
“Listen here, bitch, you took my chance at partner,” he ground out. She stared into his eyes and shivered at what she found. “I’ll be getting something out of this.”
His other hand came down and cupped her ass hard. Without a thought to where she was or what might happened, Claire pulled back hit him in the nose with everything she had. Jason crumpled to the ground
“You listen,” she yelled at him. “You are a disgusting little worm. You ever touch me or come near Anna again, I’ll make sure my cousin does something about you.” She leaned forward.
“I thought you said he didn’t do that kind of thing,” he cried.
She gave him a once over and leaned back. “I think for you, he’d make an exception.”
Claire turned to a find a crowd had gathered around them. Anna stared at them in shock.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
Jason was the first to talk. “She attacked me. She’s just like her cousin. Is this the kind of thug you want on the city council?”
Claire glared at him. She'd show him a thug.
“That’s not exactly right,” Maxwell said, emerging from the shadows. “From were I sat, it sounded like you threatened to have your wife killed and then propositioned and assaulted Ms. McClure.”
There were several gasps from the crowd. Jason’s face contorted in rage.
“And who the fuck are you then, old man?” Jason yelled. He sneered at him.
Maxwell laughed. “You really have no idea whose gala this is, do you?” He stepped forward. “I’m Maxwell Cross. As in Cross Enterprises.” A tight smile appeared on his
Claire laughed as she sat in the garden out back. It didn’t seem to her like the brightest idea to ask someone if they killed another person. If they had no problem killing one person, what would make them not kill the next? It just seemed like flawed logic to her. Perhaps the wealthy party goers found a bit of excitement in the idea they might be around someone dangerous.
She pulled off her shoes and massaged her feet. Heels were cute, but they were murder on her arches.
“I see I’m not the only one trying to escape,” Jason said from just behind her.
He came down the winding path and stopped just beside her.
Claire stood. “Oh, Jason, I didn’t realize you were here,” she said.
Anna had spent most of the night with her, making sure that each person knew who she was.
“I’m not surprised,” he said and moved a little closer. “Anna’s busy working while you and I get to slip away.”
Claire narrowed her eyes. “I’m not sure I understand.”
“No need to get huffy,” he snapped. She noticed he seemed far more disheveled than she had ever seen him before. “Just some people are made for more in life.”
“Anna is very good at her job,” she said, irritation seeping into her voice.
Jason gave a hollow laugh. “I’m sure she is. She should be considering she isn’t going to progress much further.”
Claire frowned.
“So, I hear congratulations are in order.” He smiled at her, but there didn't seem to be much warmth in it. “Too bad your little plan backfired.”
“What are you talking about?” she asked and backed up just a little. Her legs hit the bench as he stepped forward.
“Having your cousin take out Harriet,” he said. “Of course it put a crimp in my plans.” He gave her a wicked grin. “But then I started thinking, why be with a nobody when I could be with a somebody?”
Her stomach churned as his meaning dawned on her.
“You’re married to Anna,” she said quietly. Maybe he was just drunk, and she could fix this.
“Your cousin took care of Harriet. I’m sure he could do the same for Anna,” he said simply, as if he hadn’t just asked her to have his wife killed.
“That’s not how Finn works. He’s not in that line of work anymore,” she said. “I can’t even do this.”
She turned to walk away but stopped when he grabbed her arm tightly.
“Listen here, bitch, you took my chance at partner,” he ground out. She stared into his eyes and shivered at what she found. “I’ll be getting something out of this.”
His other hand came down and cupped her ass hard. Without a thought to where she was or what might happened, Claire pulled back hit him in the nose with everything she had. Jason crumpled to the ground
“You listen,” she yelled at him. “You are a disgusting little worm. You ever touch me or come near Anna again, I’ll make sure my cousin does something about you.” She leaned forward.
“I thought you said he didn’t do that kind of thing,” he cried.
She gave him a once over and leaned back. “I think for you, he’d make an exception.”
Claire turned to a find a crowd had gathered around them. Anna stared at them in shock.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
Jason was the first to talk. “She attacked me. She’s just like her cousin. Is this the kind of thug you want on the city council?”
Claire glared at him. She'd show him a thug.
“That’s not exactly right,” Maxwell said, emerging from the shadows. “From were I sat, it sounded like you threatened to have your wife killed and then propositioned and assaulted Ms. McClure.”
There were several gasps from the crowd. Jason’s face contorted in rage.
“And who the fuck are you then, old man?” Jason yelled. He sneered at him.
Maxwell laughed. “You really have no idea whose gala this is, do you?” He stepped forward. “I’m Maxwell Cross. As in Cross Enterprises.” A tight smile appeared on his