Betrayed, Then Back For Blood

Chapter 21

Ashton frowned. “Why would anyone dig into Briar’s background? She’s just eighteen. What could be worth 15 million dollars to find out?”

Xavion looked puzzled as well. “Yeah, I don’t get it either. She only came back a few days ago. Do you think it’s got something to do with her acupuncture

skills?”

Still, even though acupuncture and traditional medicine weren’t that popular in Dasmieca, if one looked hard enough, they could find a few decent practitioners.

“Don’t turn the job down yet,” Ashton said. “I’ll have Brandon check if this is connected to my grandfather.”

He was thinking the same thing Xavion was. To him, Briar seemed like a normal girl–quiet, a little headstrong at times–but if she was being targeted because she helped Griffin, then Ashton felt responsible.

Xavion nodded. “Got it. I’ll stall them for now. But if they reached out to us, they’d probably already don’t care who they sell info to as long as the money’s good.”

Ashton grabbed his keys and headed for the door. “Give me thirty minutes.”

Just the thought of dealing with the Hacker Alliance gave him a headache.

ontacted the Hacker Alliance as well. Those guys

At 6 AM, Briar went out for her usual morning run. The house staff was used to her routine by now and got back to work once she left.

But today, Halle and Beatrice were up early too.

Trying not to repeat her past mistakes, Halle didn’t start with any snide remarks. She turned to a servant and asked, “Is Briar up?”

running,”

rolled her eyes. “Seriously? She thinks getting up early makes

up in the Jennings family and mixing with other rich girls in Shoneport, Beatrice

reason.

gone and no one else in the family supporting her, Briar must’ve been

you say,” Halle warned quietly, waiting until the servant

“We’re supposed to play nice for a few days so she shows

Don’t screw it up now. If your dad gets mad, there’s nothing I can do,” Halle

it, Mom.” Beatrice knew how things worked in this house. Edgar called all the shots. Even after

a monthly allowance of maybe 10 thousand dollars. If she wanted more–for a dress or a party–she had to ask for it. Sometimes she even had to rent outfits and jewelry just

being cheap. They didn’t know how

son and future heir of Jennings Group, couldn’t make

to stay, they did what Edgar said, Cross him, and they’d end

1/2

Chapter 21

not even

at the front door. Ever since Briar came back, she’d been going against Edgar at

living room

she walked over and took Edgar’s arm. “We’re waiting for

chuckled. “Yeah, I actually slept

in a good mood, thinking about how things would fall into place once the partnership with the Hargreaves family went through–and

later, and the four of them

with

Camden left for work. Halle and Beatrice stayed behind to wait for Briar so