Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath

If someone who didn't know Jaxon overheard this, they'd probably think he was legitimately crazy.

Stella took a sip of her oatmeal and nodded. "Yeah, he really needs to get some help. I swear, that guy's got more energy than sense. Never knows where to put it, either."

She rolled her eyes. "He'll move mountains when all he needs to do is open a door."

Ronald spent the morning at home with Stella, just hanging around. They didn't go anywhere.

Around ten, Idris stopped by. He greeted Ronald with a respectful nod. "Sir, it's done."

Before Ronald could say a word, Stella blurted out, "Wait, you actually sent Jaxon to a psychiatric hospital?"

Idris nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Stella's eyes went wide. "Oh my God. That's brutal."

Idris turned to Ronald. "Mr. Miguel had some trouble last night."

"What kind of trouble?" Ronald asked.

Idris hesitated. "The Nelson twins-Leanne and Ivanna-the ones running Black Gate? They broke into Mr. Miguel's house last night, tried to take Miss Susanna."

Stella froze, spoon halfway to her mouth. "What?"

Ronald glanced at her, and Stella's heart skipped a beat. "Is Susie okay?"

Miguel's fine

a sigh of relief. "Thank God. As long as

frowned. "But what did Ivanna and

them-mean as snakes and twice as ugly, rumor had it. If

"They're... well, they're

Stella blinked. "What?"

could

boss is

jaw dropped. "You're kidding me. Like,

as the public knows, yes,"

Stella just stared, dumbfounded.

all related, that explains a lot. Still, Susanna couldn't be that much older than her brother... and yet

Whether he's a brother or

shook her head. "This is... this is a

more she thought about it, the more tangled it got. Susanna's family tree was more like a bramble

was in charge of

mother. After she left, her father took over for a while, then passed it to the current

life was way more complicated than she'd guessed. She always thought Susanna just came from your run-of-the-mill single-parent

in a world that always seemed on the verge of falling apart. Maybe she was finally learning

And with the way things

interrupted her thoughts. "Things

Ronald raised an eyebrow.