Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 128380 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128380 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Actually, Bailey would do the same. No, scrap that. If someone left one of her loved ones for dead, she’d tie any possible suspect to a chair and interrogate their ass until she felt positive they were innocent.
A mere minute later, they arrived at Corbin’s office. Havana’s quick knock earned them a “Come in.” She opened the door, and Bailey followed her inside. Her inner snake coiled her body tight, not liking the scene before them.
Ginny stood off to the side, her eyes hard, her mouth tight, her arms folded. Two males stood in front of Corbin’s desk, their posture strong and vigilant.
All heads turned as Bailey and Havana waltzed into the room. Taking in the features of the two strangers, Bailey felt her eyes narrow. Yeah, these were Jackson’s relatives all right. The resemblance was plain to see.
Bailey closed the door behind her and pinned her gaze on Corbin. “Jonesy said you wanted to talk to me.”
Havana swept her eyes over the others in the room. “What’s all this?”
Corbin cleared his throat. “Well—”
“You’re Bailey?” one of the males cut in, sounding as stunned as he looked. “Bailey Bryant?”
His relative seemed equally dumbfounded. Obviously she wasn’t what they’d expected. Well, since Ginny had no doubt painted her as an evil crone, it was no surprise. She’d been told many times that she looked as if butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth.
Bailey had used it to her advantage during her years working for the Movement, and it had eventually become instinctive for her to give off a harmless air. Many were fooled by it; didn’t see the danger. Which suited her just fine.
“One and the very same,” Bailey affirmed. “Is there a problem?”
It was Corbin who spoke, “Ginny brought some people to the center in the hope of finding you.” He did not look happy about it. “These are Jackson’s brothers, Jarrett and Keaton. I intercepted them during their search and then brought them to my office. I did think of tossing them all out of the building instead, but I would prefer that they speak with you in an environment such as this rather than them catching you while you’re alone.”
Appreciating his protectiveness, Bailey gave him a brief nod before turning to the brothers. “My guess is that you’re here to ask questions that a certain someone put in your head. Go for it,” she invited.
The brothers exchanged a look, seeming taken aback that she hadn’t clammed up, gone on the defensive, and sent them away.
Keaton cleared his throat, regarding her with something close to distaste—he tried to hide it, but not hard enough. “We’ve heard a lot about the … activity that went on between you and Jackson since your fallout.”
“I can imagine.” Jackson was a total whiner, and Ginny had probably been more than happy to fill in any gaps.
“For the record, he doesn’t believe you’re the one who jumped him. I trust his judgement. But I’m not entirely convinced, and I’m a man who likes to cover his bases,” explained Keaton, all reasonable. But she could tell that he did suspect her.
“And we have to consider that you certainly have a history of targeting him,” added Jarrett, his voice clipped—he clearly had no more respect for her than his brother did. “Where were you the evening that Jackson was attacked?”
“At the afterparty of a mating ceremony,” replied Bailey.
“Which means she has literally hundreds of alibis,” Havana chipped in.
Both Keaton and Jarrett blinked, surprised.
Bailey winged up a brow. “Ginny didn’t tell you? Because I know that Corbin made her aware of it.”
Jarrett fixed an intent stare on Ginny. “You failed to mention any of that.”
With a defensive sniff, Ginny inched up her chin and nervously scraped her fingers through her teal bob. “Assuming it’s even true, it doesn’t mean she didn’t leave the party at some point, does it? She’s a snake. They’re sneaky. She could have left without anyone noticing.”
“But I didn’t,” said Bailey. “You’d love for it to have been me, but I don’t think you’re really so convinced that it was. I think you’re using this as an excuse to dick with me.”
“I second that,” Havana piped up, glaring at the bitch. “And if you genuinely gave a damn about Jackson, you wouldn’t take advantage of his pain this way.”
Ginny’s face hardened. “Don’t twist what’s happening here. I’m trying to help his family bring him justice. He could have died. And all because she can’t handle that he didn’t love her as she did him.”
Bailey almost took a step back in sheer surprise. “Love?” Her snake would have laughed if she could.
“You wanted to take him as your mate,” accused Ginny.
Bailey looked at Havana. “I totally didn’t see her pulling something like that out of her butthole.”
The Alpha shrugged. “People can surprise you that way.”
“If you didn’t care for him,” Jarrett interjected, a challenging note to his tone, “why did you react so badly to him cheating on you?”