Inheritance Reversal by Mckenna James

Author:Mckenna James [James, Mckenna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-01-01T16:00:00+00:00

17

We meet in the basement parking lot. The temperature’s dropped significantly, and there aren’t very many cars remaining. The majority of the office building’s gone home for the night, though there are a couple vehicles left behind. They’re fancier cars, likely belonging to office managers and the like. I find it a little ironic. We work hard and long hours to buy fast cars we don’t have time to drive because we’re too busy working hard and long hours.

The whole scene kind of reminds me of those old spy novels my father used to read. The ones where the operatives meet their undercover sources for intel, passing A4-sized yellow envelopes thick with information. The gray paint job of the parking lot walls and the dim bluish fluorescent lighting above definitely gives off that kind of vibe. Usually when those scenes crop up in television episodes or movies, serious shit’s about to go down.

Maybe that explains why I’m so nervous.

I’m sitting behind the steering wheel of my Lexus, parked in my assigned spot. When I see Amber venture out from the elevators, I start the engine and flash the headlights at her. It takes me a moment, but I notice something’s off. Amber repeatedly wipes at her eyes, which are both puffy.

She’s crying.

I get out of the car and rush over to her, confused and alarmed. I’ve seen her on the verge of tears before. There have been nights when she used to work for me where she was stressed and overwhelmed. But I’ve never seen her like this. Bawling. Eyes swollen. Nose all red. Her shoulders shaking as she cries.

I don’t like it.

“Are you okay?” I ask hurriedly. “What happened?”

Amber stifles a sob, sniffling as she shakes her head. “N-nothing. I, uh– Let’s just get going.”

“Hey,” I say softly, attempting to brush away the tear streaking down her cheek. “Hey, tell me what’s going on, Amber. We don’t have to do dinner if you don’t want to.”

“I–” She coughs, too upset to get a word out. “I’m sorry. I really do want to. It’s just–” She presses her face to my chest and continues to cry, her shoulders shaking. “I just got some bad news. Came out of nowhere.”

No, I don’t like it one bit.

I set my jaw. I desperately want to know what’s going on, but I don’t have the full picture. I wrap my arms around Amber and pull her into a tight hug, patting gentle circles into her upper back in an attempt to comfort her. My heart twists in my chest. I don’t like seeing her like this. I feel the need to protect her. Whatever’s happened, I want to make it all go away.

“It’s cold,” I whisper in her ear. “How about we step back inside, hm?”

“N-no, I–” Amber hiccups. It’s both heartbreaking and cute at the same time. “I’m feeling better, I swear.”

I look her in the eye and raise both my eyebrows at her. “I don’t believe you.”

“I’m sorry. I’m such a mess right now.

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