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Chapter 13

Treasure had two large paper bags and her large purse with her as she walked in. As always she wore heels, but she was still short. Today, she wore her black hair pulled back in a tight ponytail and her obsidian eyes were looking concern.

“When you didn’t answer any of my text messages, I said I needed to drop in and make sure you even ate.”

“I was working,” Stefanie said.

“Really?” Treasure started taking the food out of the bag and placing everything on the coffee table in front of the couch. “Sit down and let’s eat.”

“I’m not hungry.”

Treasure smiled pleasantly, but her eyes belied the way her lips curved. “Sit and eat,” she said firmly. Her strong Heart’s blood seemed to vibrate from every pore and though she looked cool on the outside, Stefanie had no doubt she could get her way by any means necessary.

Stefanie was glad she had showered and changed into some more jogging pants and a t-shirt. Her hair was wrapped and she was ready for bed, but she really was hungry. Too tired to fight, she didn’t mind Treasure’s company this late in the evening when she was usually working.

Sitting beside Treasure, she relaxed and knew she was going to have to tell Treasure because even though this woman was small there was no way Treasure was leaving tonight until she knew everything.

***

Two hours later Treasure knew all the details and just sat there looking like Stefanie had just confessed to murder.

“Your friends – or so called friends – stole a load of money from you because they were jealous about your brains? And now some gorgeous guy, name Dexter, comes along and steals all their money from them?” Treasure summed up.

“That about says it all.”

“Do you remember Dexter’s last name?” Treasure questioned.

“No, I don’t. I’m sorry, but he said he worked at Black Technologies.”

Treasure flinched. “I’d rather try to steal a bar of gold from Fort Knox than find out anything I can about that company.”

“You know about them?”

“Of course. Lethal’s not only in offline security, he’s also in online and Black Technologies do a lot of things in software security development. My other cousin Emperor works closely with Axel Heart and has funded some of his ventures, but Emperor’s so damn secretive with our current family feud and side choosing, he most likely will tell me to bugger off.” She looked a little frustrated, but then her look brightened. “I could ask my cousin Prince Heart to try. He’s only Lethal’s side at the moment, so he won’t mind. He’s good at squeezing anything out of anyone even if he doesn’t get hired at the company.”

Stefanie knew Emperor Heart also had something to do with Treasure’s sister getting killed but Treasure really never talked in detail about what happened.

“I don’t want you to do anything that would get someone else in trouble.”

“Oh don’t worry. Prince is good at finding human weak links. Plus, trouble is our middle name. We’re either causing it or knee deep in it. What else do you know about this Dexter other than he could be rich or running some type of Ponzi scheme?”

“Nothing except what Lauren’s emails tells me. And if this Dexter is stealing where would he get the money unless you think Axel Black is helping him out.”

“I’m still wondering about it all as well and I’ll need some time to think about that. Not to change the subject but, why would Jezica need to hide money from Nick?”

“There’s no prenup. If Nick or his controlling mother decides to get rid of her, then she leaves with what she came in on – absolutely nothing. He even gets their daughter.”

“That’s pretty harsh,” Treasure said. “Despite her deceit, she is the mother of his child.”

“That might sway him to at least let her drive away in one of the cars, but in college, someone cheated off of Nick’s papers and he deliberately destroyed them completely. I’ve seen him mad, which is rare, but it’s not pretty.”

“It sounds petty. When you said his mother’s decision, what did you mean?”

“Jezica didn’t know she’d be marrying his mother, but he’s always been close to her. He’ll do whatever she asks. I’ve never had a problem with her. Matter of fact, she adores me and hates Jezica.”

“And you don’t think Nick could tell you anything about Axel Black?”

“Even if Jezica didn’t mind me speaking with him, I don’t think Nick knows who he is because he told me a long time ago he’d love to meet him. If Nick had ever met Axel Black, I’d have known a long time ago. Even though I don’t speak with Nick, I still follow him on social networks and company blog that he occasionally writes on.”

“And now you’re suspicious that this Axel Black is in on it as well.”

“I don’t know. I met him through Dexter who now is suspicious to me because of what Jezica just told me. Plus I don’t even know how the real Axel Black looks and this could be a boogey to set me up to steal what I have. Or this could all be a coincidence and I’m just pleasantly aroused and excited he’s interested in me.”

Treasure looked purely skeptical. “And he sounds like a nerd, but looks like Thor?”

“With funny colored eyes,” Stefanie added.

“Coincidences don’t just happen around me,” Treasure said suspiciously.

They’d finished the food up and a half a bottle of red wine was still there. Treasure sipped a little bit deep in thought staring and pursing her lips together repeatedly.

“You shouldn’t see him anymore,” Treasure said suddenly standing up.

“Axel Black? Is this because I’m not helping you with your client?” Stefanie asked warily.

“That has nothing to do with anything. I understand your reasons for not seeing my client, but he has his own reasons for not doing a face to face, which he explained. This Axel Black worries me.” Gathering her personal belongings, she began to get ready to leave. “I should also note, Black Technologies wrote the software program for my business.”

This was probably why Treasure needed to check some things out. “What makes you think Axel Black will even want to see me again? He didn’t leave any contact information for me and just because we kissed it doesn’t mean he wants to see me again.”

Treasure raised a black brow and smiled wickedly. “Let me do some digging. If anything else comes up-“

Stefanie’s phone rang.

“Are you going to answer it?” Treasure questioned after the first ring and Stefanie made no move to her desk to answer it.

“Should I?” Stefanie didn’t want to speak to Jezica or Lauren and if Axel Black just happened to get her number, she didn’t know if she really wanted to turn him down like Treasure wanted her to.

The third ring forced her to go over to her desk and pick up the phone. On the screen was Kenneth Bianchi.

Before she had a chance to pleasantly say hello, he burst on the line with, “WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!”

La Revanche des Trois (Revenge of Three) – Chapter 12 (c) 2011 Sylvia Hubbard. All Rights Reserved.

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