Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath

If one person says something looks bad, maybe they're just stirring the pot.

But when everyone who's seen it says it's bad... well, that's probably the truth.

Ronald considered this for a second, then reached over and gave Stella's cheek a playful pinch. "You and Susanna really do love a good gossip, huh?"

He'd already noticed it back when they were living in Portis City. Most of what Stella knew, she'd picked up from Susanna's latest rumor mill.

Honestly, Stella had changed a lot in the three years since she'd left Ferrowland. At least back then, she hadn't had much interest in gossip at all.

Stella chuckled. "What can I say? Maybe it's just a woman's nature?"

Ronald didn't really care. If all Stella did was chat with Susanna on the phone, he could live with it. What worried him was that Susanna seemed to rope Stella into everything lately, dragging her out of the house all the time. But if a little gossip brought Stella some fun, he wasn't about to complain.

"Hey, do you think those twins are actually just someone's stepkids?" Stella asked, curiosity dancing in her eyes.

Honestly, Susanna's theory sounded pretty believable to Stella. After all, the man who ran Black Gate had been an absolute heartthrob in his youth.

Ronald laughed under his breath. "You're impossible," he said, his voice full of affection.

He didn't bother to answer if the twins were really blood relatives or not, and Stella didn't expect any real answer out of him anyway.

They were still talking when someone knocked on the door.

"Boss," called Idris's voice from outside.

him, Ronald gently nudged Stella from his arms and stood to

in the room, Idris hesitated for a split second, then turned his

"What's up?" Ronald asked.

Stella, weighed his words, then leaned in

changed in an instant-his face grew

ran?" Ronald's

"Yes," Idris nodded.

lips, but when he turned back to Stella, his face was soft and warm again. "I need to step into the

what was going on, but she nodded.

left with Idris, and Stella wasn't worried. After all, in Ferrowland, there really wasn't much Ronald

The study.

cigarette from his pack and lit up-a habit he'd given up ever

he run?" Ronald asked,

sure," Idris replied. "But Mr. Quarry's been acting... let's just say, unusually

made Ronald's already cold

laugh. "Interested? Please. Whatever he's

Filthy was one way to put it. Once, Quarry

turned his sights on Stella? If he really cared, it sure didn't look like love. More likely, the Quarry family had their eyes on something behind the Quinn family. The Quarries were

face darkened. "Hogan Freeman and Frost Quarry... they've gotten

an

Mr. Quarry's interest in Stella is really about

silent, letting the idea settle in the smoky