Rough Edges by Shannon K. Butcher Read Free Book Online Page B

mistakes.”
    The slow, hot burn of anger and betrayal she’d felt for weeks flared to life. Ever since she’d learned that Payton had been a part of the Threshold Project, she’d struggled with knowing that the man she used to trust was actually one of the bad guys.
    How could she not have seen the kind of man he really was? How could she have misread him so completely? He’d come into her life when she was young and vulnerable. He’d helped her get her life back together. Gotten her a good lawyer when she’d been charged with murder, paid all her legal fees so she could walk out of court a free woman, helped her start her company.
    Those kindnesses had all been done out of guilt, and she hadn’t been smart enough to see through his lies. He’d told her it was all about money, that she was a good investment. It was enough to make her question her judgment about people in general. Who else in her life wasn’t what they seemed?
    â€œYour words don’t mean a thing to me anymore, Payton. If not for your fancy lawyers and the way they worded our partnership agreement, I wouldn’t even let you set foot inside my office.”
    â€œOur office.”
    â€œFor now,” she agreed. “I will buy you out. I will cut you from my life at the first possible opportunity.”
    He flinched, but covered it fast. “Perhaps, but for now you’re stuck with me. Just as the employees here are stuck with you. They all deserve to know if there’s any threat of you breaking down the way so many of Stynger’s victims have.”
    Her words hissed out from between her clenched teeth. “I told you I’m fine.”
    â€œYou weren’t fine when you killed your husband and left him lying in a pool of his own blood. I just want to make sure that doesn’t happen again with Victor or one of the others.”
    Victor’s gaze hit her, filled with suspicion. Whatever trust he’d had in her, whatever respect he’d had for her as his employer—it was all gone. He watched her as he would a wild animal, unsure of what she might do next.
    In one single stroke, Payton had completely usurped her authority. Rage sizzled just below her scalp, scalding her brain. She knew if she didn’t turn and leave now, she was going to do something to Payton she’d regret as soon as she got finished enjoying it.
    In an uncharacteristically jerky move, she turned on her heel and left. Let these two men say whatever they wanted about her. It didn’t matter. She knew that her little freak-out was nothing—certainly not something that would get in the way of her finding Stynger and taking her down for good.
    And anyone who tried to stop her would find out just how clear her mind really was.

Chapter Six
    V ictor didn’t dare try to stop Bella from stalking away. It was obvious she was on the verge of violence, and he wasn’t sure he’d be able to stop her from hurting Payton without hurting
her
in the process. And he really didn’t want to have to hurt her.
    The second she was behind the locker room doors, Victor turned to Payton. “That was completely uncalled-for. I thought you were trying to make amends with her, not push her farther away.”
    â€œI can’t baby her anymore, though God knows I wish I could.” Payton ran his manicured fingers through his perfect hair, mussing it. The look of distress on the man’s face was almost enough to make Victor feel a pang of sympathy.
    â€œThere’s a long way between babying her and airing her secrets in front of me.”
    â€œI thought you needed to know. You two are spending a lot of time together.”
    â€œNo more than anyone else.”
    â€œYou’re wrong about that,” Payton said. “I’ve been keeping a close eye on her. She still works with the others, but not like she used to. She loves them too much to put them at risk, which makes me worry that