Chapter 125

**Blue**


I need to find a way to get out of here without anyone asking questions. Also, that means leaving the babies and Lilly which I’m not sure anyone will be willing to do with everything else going on, but I need to go to this meeting. There’s no time to debate logistics, so I head back to the living room where I see the Rhodes siblings still discussing something. Artemis’s eyes lift when I walk into the room, and he gives me a confused look. Maybe he sees something in my face that has alarm bells going up, so I try to smile and act like nothing is going on.

“I’m sorry but something came up at my office, I need to run in and handle it. Can I leave the kids with you?” I ask him.

“Of course. Is everything okay?” He asks standing and stepping around the couch to walk in my direction.

I don’t really want him touching me right now. It feels fake now. After what I heard it has me overthinking still and I don’t have time to dig deeper into all those feelings right now. So I step back before he can touch me and give him my a tight smile.

“Yeah! It shouldn’t take long.” I turn and grab my bag and head out the door closing it behind me.

I walk over to the door leading to the apartment above the garage where Bryant and Dane take turns staying. Dane is the one who opens it.

“Hey! Can you drive me somewhere?” I ask him.

“Yes ma’am.” He grabs the keys off the hook on the wall by the door and I move back to let him out.

He’s dressed like he always is and as if he was ready to leave at any moment. I hope he takes time to relax while he waits for us to ask for him to drive us all over the place. We walk over to the SUV that’s decked out with all kinds of safety stuff and I climb in back while Dane holds the door open for me. I know that Artemis can track the car and even my phone, so I tuck my phone into the pocket behind the chair in front of me and settle back into the seat.

I’ll borrow a phone to contact Dane once I’m done with my meeting. I feel terrible tricking him, but I don’t want him telling Artemis where I am until I know everything. How can I explain where I’m going and why without knowing the details myself?

“Where to?” Dane asks as we pull out onto the street.

“The bookstore on Main Street.” I tell him.

It’s the closest place to where I need to go, and somewhere I would go usually. I also know where the back door is, so that helps. This feels like some sort of plan in a spy film and I’m sort of excited by it. Of course, if he or Artemis realizes I’m missing they will freak, so I’ll have to be smart about this. If I’m gone too long, they will search for me and figure out I ditched my phone. I know Artemis is worried about my safety but right now all his ways of helping me is a pain in the ass.

We make it to the bookstore with ten minutes to spare. “I’ll just run in and grab a few things.”

I don’t wait for Dane to reply, and I jump out of the car and walk into the store with all the ease I can muster. Once I’m inside I glance around to find someone who works there. I spot a lady in the romance section and get her attention.

“Hi! I’m so sorry to bother you with this, but I have a little situation. You see that guy out there?” I point to where Dane is standing leaning against the side of the car. “He’s been following me. I was wondering if I can use your back door and if he tries to look for me you say I’m in the bathroom.”

She is looking at me with shock and worry. “Oh my gosh! Yes, of course. Don’t worry.”

“Thank you so much.” I say grabbing her arm and giving her my best impression of relieved gratitude. “Follow me I’ll take you out back.”

Yes!

I follow her and check one more time to see if Dane is watching. He’s scanning the people walking by on the sidewalk, so I slip out of the back door without him spotting me.
“Be careful and good luck.” The lady says.

“Thank you!” I wave to her and jog down the alley.

So far so good…

The lawyer’s meeting place is two blocks away, so I walk there. When I walk into the building the woman at the front desk smiles at me and stands. “Mrs. Rhodes, he’s expecting you.”

She walks around her desk and leads me through glass double doors to the left of her desk. I guess this whole place is his, which is impressive because it’s freaking huge. The woman leads me past a few large offices and a row of desks running down the middle of them all where people are typing away. I’m guessing these are all the assistants.

“Here we are.” The woman opens the door to one of the offices and holds it for me.

I sheepishly pass her and step into the large office. An older man is sitting behind a large wooden desk and stands when he sees me. He meets me halfway and holds out his hand.

“Mrs. Rhodes thank you so much for meeting with me.” He says when I shake his hand. “Please have a seat.”

I accept the offer and sit on one of the chairs facing him.

“I’m sorry if this seemed like a strange way for us to meet, but technically you are my client and that comes with privilege that only you can wave in person.” He explains.

“I’m sorry…I’m your client? I don’t mean to sound rude but I’m pretty sure I never asked for a lawyer, and we’ve never met.” I say.

He chuckles. “You’re right, but I was brought on by Mr. Rhodes Senior as your personal counsel. His death put certain things into place, and this is the first of many steps.”
“Okay…so what do you need from me?” I’m still not getting why I’m here.

“Well, I need to explain what will be happening as the days pass and we move closer to the reading of the will.”

“Okay, but that means Artemis should be involved. I assume he’s going to be taking over the business now.”

He clears his throat and opens one of the drawers next to him. He pulls out a folder and sets it down in front of me. “Not exactly. Artemis won’t be inheriting the company…”

I open the folder and I’m shocked when the first thing I see is my name.

“You are.” He says and I think I black out for a second because when I come back to myself he’s talking and I miss everything he’s said.

“Wait…why would I be inheriting the company? I never even knew the man.” I point out.

“You didn’t but he knew a great deal about you. He also recognized a third party that could fix the mess the rest of the family has created in a non-bias way.” He says and I laugh.

“I don’t know a thing about business or how to fix anything. There is nothing about this family or company that I know about. Other than the few things I’ve been affected by firsthand, I’m completely kept out of the loop. Even this morning the family made a point to keep me out of any conversations regarding family business.” I explain.

“Well seeing as they have no say, that is a big mistake.” He laughs as if that was funny somehow, but I’m not getting the joke here.

Well other than the joke that’s being played on me right now. It has to be a joke!

He sighs and rests his hands on his desk. “I know this must be very confusing, but I spoke with Mr. Rhodes two weeks ago and he was very specific about his wishes. He spoke of how he felt he made many mistakes with how we handled the family. There was no deep respect or connection once his wife had died. She kept the family unified, and he recognized his own faults in why so much had gone wrong through the years. He saw you as a chance for the family to be invigorated with a light that’s been missing. You being someone who had nothing for so long and would treat the business with care and appreciation. He saw you as a fresh start for the family.”

“Wow. I’m shocked.”

He laughs. “Believe me I was too. He spoke as if he knew something like this might happen. As if the reality of the family situation had finally settled an he wanted to set everything straight for good. He wanted to make sure everything was handled as soon as possible. Now the other reason he assigned me as your personal counsel is because there is going to be a tough road ahead. Everyone feels entitled to a part of what has now become yours. This isn’t going to be an easy or smooth transition, but I will be by your side the whole way.”

I guess that’s something. “Thank you, I guess. So what now?”

“Now we wait for the funeral to pass and prepare for what will come when the will is read. I hope you are ready because this might test the bonds you’ve built with the others in the Rhodes family.” He isn’t laughing now.

Fuck…this could really mess up my life.