Chapter 12
“Obviously, he’s the killer,” I utter before taking a bite of my Toaster Strudel. “Even an idiot would know that.”
After Ridge dropped me off and was a complete dick to me, prompting me to tell him I was going to fuck his brother, I took a long-ass shower in an attempt to wash him from my body, and then I put my pajamas on and haven’t left the couch since.
Well, other than to get some Cheetos or a fresh Toaster Strudel and pour a can of Coke over ice.
I’m supposed to call Victor soon, and I don’t even know what I’m going to say.
I might have told Ridge that I’d fuck with his family and their land, but I wouldn’t actually do that.
Despite him being an asshole, his family seems like good people.
And I’m smart enough to know that I could offer them unlimited money and they’d still say no. Some things just can’t be bought.
My phone vibrates, and I sigh when I see Victor’s message, telling me to call him now.
Taking my last bite, I take a swig of my soda and wash down the breakfast pastry before hitting Call.
Most of my time here has been spent exploring the area, watching TV, or hating on Ridge Adams. I’m sure the company wouldn’t be pleased to know that I have hardly worked at all, but that’s why they aren’t going to find out.
“Hoping for good news,” he says, answering the phone. “Did you seal the deal yet, Stewart?”
Shit, he’s really cutting right to the chase.
I cringe, chewing on my bottom lip.
“Uh, not exactly,” I answer, attempting not to stutter.
“Victor, I just don’t think it’s going to happen.
” I tell him the truth. It’s something I’ve known since my first encounter with Ridge and his dad.
I could see it all over their faces—this place is priceless to them.
But I know I need to say something else. “I’m sorry.”
He’s silent for a second, and I know right away, that means he’s pissed.
Victor is a spoiled brat who isn’t used to being told no.
But what he has to realize is that he sent me on an impossible mission, and aside from drugging this family and then forging their signatures, it’s not in the cards for Ironbound to buy and build here.
“And why is that?” His tone is less than impressed, but before I can answer, of course he has to add something. “I sent you because I thought you could handle this, Stella. Did I make a mistake?”
“They are never going to sell their land, Victor. I’m sorry. I know how big this would be for Ironbound, but we need to find something else.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “This family would go to war before they ever considered selling out.”
“Then maybe a war is what they need,” he tosses back, and instantly, the hairs on the back of my neck rise.
“What are you saying?” I whisper, standing up and pacing around the living room.
Victor cares about no one other than himself. That makes him a dangerous person to have working against you. And I fear that soon, the Adams family will know that.
“I’m saying that I’ve been around this business enough to know that when there’s that much land, something has been done that wasn’t by the book at some point in time. And we’re going to find out what it was.”
“You’ve been the CEO for, like, a year, Victor,” I say, but I quickly change the subject, not wanting to make things worse. “What are you even saying? You’re going to, what, blackmail them?”
“You know what I’m saying, Stella.” He’s almost hissing now.
Not in the way a snake does, but like a twenty-four-year-old man who has been on his mother’s tit since he was born.
“And if I’m being honest with you, if you’ll quit this easily on something, I’m not sure you’re the right fit for us anymore. ”
Pompous motherfucker.
Thoughts of being homeless again flash through my mind, and even though I’ve done nothing but pig out all day, I almost feel that hunger in my stomach from when I was a kid with no money to buy a snack and no parents to care if I had one.
I can’t lose this job. So, even though I want to call him a douchebag and tell him to pound sand, I’m not in a position to piss him off.
Not yet anyway. Someday, I’ll have enough money that I won’t need to take his shit, but until I’m ready to start my own company, I need to lie low.
So, instead of ruffling any more feathers, I exhale.
“No, I’m not giving up. I just … I didn’t want to be here, wasting money and time on a project that will never happen.” I plop down on the couch, dragging my hand down my face. “I’ll see what I can find.”
“I knew you wouldn’t let me down,” he says, suddenly chipper. “We’ll have you back home before Christmas—even if you’re flying back Christmas Eve!” He barks out a laugh, and before I can tell him that I don’t care if I fly home on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, he says, “Talk soon!”
When he ends the call, a sick feeling fills my gut because I know that no matter what, something bad will happen. I’ll either lose my job or I’ll have a hand in the Adams losing what they love most.
And despite Ridge’s hurtful words, I really don’t want that.
“Wind is gonna gust up to thirty knots tomorrow, you know,” Jake says as we finish loading bait on for tomorrow. “Guess the sea is supposed to build to eight-foot swells by noon.”
I slam around a few crates, irritated that this is at least the fifth thing he’s mentioned today about tomorrow’s weather being shit. I know that means he doesn’t want to go, but that sucks to be him because he’s going anyway.
“Well, we haven’t been in almost a week, and we’ve got to get out one more time before Christmas because that always fucks up the schedule,” I grumble.
“The weather isn’t supposed to turn until afternoon, so that’s the point of leaving at one a.m. instead of three thirty tomorrow. Get out, get in, call it a day.”
“Jake is just being a little bitch,” Connor says, popping around the corner. “Ain’t nothing we can’t handle. Especially on this bad bitch.” He pats his hand against the washboard of the boat.
I’m in a terrible mood today. Just like I have been the past three days.
I keep trying to tell myself it’s just the stress of winter fishing, but I’ve been pissy ever since the last encounter I had with Stella, when I dropped her off at her place and she told me she was going to fuck my brother.
Since then, I’ve tried to keep all my brothers busy with work around the wharf so they are never free because, fuck no, I’m not letting them near her.
Through the woods this morning, I could still see Stella’s car at the rental house. But with Christmas being three days away, I don’t understand why she’s still here.
We set the last barrel of bait in the boat, and I move some shit around before tossing new bait bags into the bait box.
“Be here by one in the morning,” I say. “Go get some rest. It’s gonna come early.”
“Aye, aye, Captain!” Connor calls out.
Meanwhile, Jake sighs. He hates getting up earlier than normal, and I can’t blame him. Our normal time is early for most people, but leaving an hour after midnight? It downright sucks.
I hate hauling in the middle of the night, but I need to make my guys a paycheck, and I also need to tend to my shit. So, this one time, we all need to suck it up and do it.
Besides, it’ll keep me busy so I’m not tempted to go see a certain mean redhead who I can’t seem to get off my mind.