Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath

Inside Hull's country house.

Susanna Tucker had been running a high fever, and it had left Hull absolutely

exhausted. It wasn't until around six in the evening that she finally drifted awake,

groggy and disoriented.

Hull was standing by the window, speaking on the phone, his voice low and tense.

Susanna couldn't make out what was being said on the other end.

He glanced at the watch on his wrist, then spoke coldly into the phone,

"Everything's set."

"Tell Mrs. Tucker I need to see her. No excuses."

With that, he ended the call without waiting for a reply.

He turned and caught Susanna's gaze-her eyes were glassy and dazed, like she

was still only half-awake.

"You're up?"

Susanna gave a weak nod, still feeling like she'd been run over by a truck.

Hull walked over to the bed and pressed a hand to her forehead. "Fever's mostly

gone."

A woman with a fever, he thought, could really be a handful.

Susanna looked up at him, wide-eyed and anxious. "That call just now... When

you said Mrs. Tucker, did you mean my mom?"

Just mentioning her mother made worry flicker in Susanna's eyes.

Everything she thought she knew about her life had been turned upside down in

no one

even was that place? Some kind

Hull nodded. "Yeah."

"What did you

hesitated, his lips pressed in a thin

started pounding, the

too much. The conflict between your

Gate isn't life or death. They're not out to kill

that supposed

sighed. "It's just...

"Complicated how?"

looking tired. "Some of Black Gate's old secrets are

But I

"What kind

dad... He's the father

Black Gate."

Susanna blinked. "Wait-what?"

the father of Black

way. Are

grown up believing her dad was dead. Now

the ground?

was serious. "I'm

at him. "So then, me and the boss of Black

"Half-siblings," Hull said quietly.

Susanna's mouth dropped open.

I suddenly have not just a dad, but a

life, and now this? Just

out of

brother. You've got two sisters,

just stared

a whole

process it. "Then why did he take

ready to murder

had said it was

left years ago, she took half of Black Gate's

"with her."

"Half

Hull nodded.