Kingston Fernandez clears his throat. “Has anyone else heard about Preston Howell?” When he gets blank faces in response, he explains, “He withdrew from the San Francisco partnership last night. ‘Personal reasons,’ allegedly. But I have sources saying something happened, a hospital visit or something, it’s unclear. But the rumors are ugly.”
I watch it all unfold like it’s someone else being executed. Blyat’, it would’ve been so easy to fight back. Some bribe money here, a reassuring word there, and poof, the board members would be put at ease, the uprising reduced to nothing but dust and distant memory.
But then I look at Rae, and I stay silent.
She’s sitting there, pale and shaking. Because of me. Dragged into this circus because I couldn’t keep my scarred hands off her. She’s there be
