Chapter Ten

Xavier

"7 am in the morning? I can meet you tonight if you prefer."

Otsana didn't sound quite right, there was hesitation, even a tone of dread in her voice, and when I'd asked if she'd found something relevant to the case, she'd brushed my question off by saying she would tell me everything the following morning.

I disconnected the call and set down the phone, pondering what she could have discovered—if anything. Or maybe her request for a meeting with me and Cillian was only to ask further questions?"

A knock at the door drew me from my thoughts and I called out, "come in."

Betty stepped into my office with a smile on her face.

"How is Aurora doing?" I inquired as she came to sit in the chair opposite.

She shrugged. "Okay, I suppose."

I frowned. It wasn't like Betty to be indifferent about someone. She always had an opinion or warning—Or both.

"You don't like her? I saw you earlier talking about the projections, and Aurora seemed to understand what you were saying."

She does catch on fast and when I introduced her to the downstairs staff, they all appeared to be comfortable with her."

"But?" I urged.

"She asks a lot of questions about the workings of the company and a couple of times I returned from the restroom in time to see her shutting down the company ledgers. Aurora insisted she must have clicked on them by mistake but how could she have done so when you need passwords, and I haven't given them to her?"

I had given Aurora that information and would have to speak with the lady when Betty wasn't around, to warn her to be more careful.

"Don't worry too much about it, I'll speak with Aurora in the morning. Otsana is coming in at seven tomorrow morning to see me and Cillian. Show her in when she arrives. It sounds like she might have some information for us."

"Already?"

"She didn't exactly say so, but I got the feeling she and her team have found something."

Betty nodded. "I'll make sure Aurora and I are here in case we're needed. Night."

"Night Betty." Again I wondered how the hell I was going to manage without Betty by my side, especially knowing Aurora was only temporary and if Otsana had indeed found the cause of our grief, the police contact probably wouldn't be with me after the following day, and I'd be back to square one.

After Betty left my office I turned my attention to the computer where I'd been rescheduling the release date of Panda. With thoughts of Otsana preventing me from concentrating, I gave up after less than an hour, turned off the computer and headed home for a session in my basement gym.

***

Cillian followed me into my office and made a beeline for the coffee maker, switching it on to percolate. I crossed to the desk, removed the jacket of my suit, hung it on the coat tree and turned on my computer as I sat.

The noise of the coffee brewing and delicious aroma wafted through the room. Cillian joined me at the desk, his ass barely hitting the seat when he jerked back onto his feet as if he'd been bitten by something. I raised my eyebrows in question at his action.

"Jacket," he explained, unbuttoning his tan coat, removing it, and hanging it on the coat tree beside mine.

The click of the percolator having finished drew Cillian's attention and he went back to the appliance and poured two mugs of the hot brew. He sipped at his while striding back to the desk, and after setting down both mugs, he finally dropped his ass into the chair opposite. "Why do you think Otsana called this meeting so early?" he asked.

I was somewhat puzzled like my friend. "I really have no idea, but as I told you yesterday, after I spoke with Otsana, she sounded strange. Her voice was hesitant and unsure."

"She doesn't strike me as that kind of woman."

"She hasn't been. Since meeting her, I have found Otsana to be confident and assertive. Still, if it was really so important, I think she would have found a way to meet with me last night as I offered."

Cillian studied my face over the rim of his mug as he drank his coffee. "You like her a lot. I've never seen you openly show interest in a woman like you have with Otsana."

"The more I see and talk with her, the more I feel attracted and sex is off the charts. Don't let her know I mentioned bedding her, she would not be impressed."

"My lips are sealed." Cillian paused for a moment. "I honestly believe you two have a future and I'm happy for you man."

A sharp knock had us both looking to the large glass panel in the top half of the office door where the blind was up and Betty was visible. I waved her in and glanced at the clock to find it was only 6.30 am, earlier than I asked her to come into the office. She entered, surprising me by locking the door behind her.

"You're early…Why did you lock the door, Otsana will be here soon?" I asked.

Betty crossed to the middle of the room, and when she pulled one hand from a pocket of her skirt, the light glinted off a gun she held.

Blood ran liked iced water through my veins when the understanding hit with the force of a meteor—Betty, a woman I'd loved like an aunt was the person who had been betraying me, Cillian, and the company.

She waved the gun at Cillian who was now on his feet, and he raised both hands in surrender.

"Get around to the other side of the desk," Betty ordered and thankfully, my best friend didn't hesitate in doing what he'd been told.

Cillian stood beside me, dropped a hand onto my shoulder and squeezed. Tears burned my eyes. Never in my wildest imaginings would I have suspected Betty. The fact it was her who was the insider trader broke my heart.

"Why, Betty?" Cillian asked the question I couldn't since my voice had deserted me.

"I didn't want it to come to this. I should have been long gone but Xavier was too fucking slack to get someone organized. The money from this release would have gone into my account, what's left of my son's future would have been secured, and you would never have known it was me behind the trading of shares. Then, Evan lost fucking control, and the fucking cop started snooping around. When she called this meeting, I suspected the bitch had found something to show I was involved and it would have ruined everything."

Betty smirked as she spoke and the look on her face and in her eyes bordered on maniacal. I wondered where the hell Evan fitted into this fucked up situation but that puzzle would have to wait until later to be solved. If there was a later.

"What do you plan on doing, Betty? You won't get away with this, no matter where you run, if Otsana has discovered it's you."

"Oh, you're wrong. Evan is in the process of erasing everything so whatever the bitch thinks she found will be gone within the hour."

"There's still me and Cillian and the security cameras will show everything you've said and done since you came into the office," I snapped, becoming more and more angry.

"Do you really think I'm stupid enough to leave you two alive? I disabled the cameras on the way in here. When the police arrive, they will find evidence that shows you killed each other. Evan will have doctored the statements for Cillian's personal account…big mistake giving me access to that, and they will show the deposits that coincide with each release and the money being spent immediately after. Xavier found out, got mad, and in the fight that followed you killed each other." Betty shrugged.

"Why me?" Cillian protested.

"I didn't want to hurt Xavier, but you have always been a self-absorbed prick who cared nothing about anyone other than yourself so you deserve to have your reputation left in tatters. Enough talk. Evan and his father will be waiting for me to join them at the airport."

Betty pulled another gun from the other pocket of her skirt and lifted it, aiming at Cillian's chest. I trembled slightly, not knowing what I should do to keep my friend safe. I had no need to do anything…Seconds later, my office door was smashed to pieces and two wolves pounced before Betty could react.

Betty was knocked to her back, the guns flying free of her hands. Otsana stood over her chest, her massive wolf head close to Betty's as she growled. Another wolf I thought might be Aurora stood with a paw on Betty's arm and she was snarling, warning what would happen if the woman moved.

Betty screamed but when she attempted to move, Otsana set a paw on her throat and the older woman immediately quieted and stilled.

"What the fuck?" Cillian asked, shocked by the scene taking place.

I sprang to my feet and grabbed both guns from the floor while Cillian continued to watch the wolves in fascination.

"Cillian!"

He snapped his head toward me when I shouted. I held up one of the guns, he nodded, and I tossed it into his waiting hands.

Otsana stopped growling and her unusual eyes fixed on mine, they were filled with a mix of anger and sadness.

I winked, giving her permission to release Betty now she was under control. Otsana jumped off the elderly woman, who didn't dare move, and circled my legs, rubbing herself against me in a breath-stealing erotic way.

The other wolf did the same to Cillian who was watching the animal in amazement.

Both wolves held their tails high in the air as they circled. When Otsana sat in front of me, I patted her head before she ran from the office with the other wolf close behind.

Keeping a gun trained on Betty, I asked Cillian to call the police which he did. I had no fucking idea how I was going to explain the wolves to him but would have to do so without revealing Otsana's secret. Would it be possible, or had her coming to our rescue put her entire pack in danger of being discovered?