Read Online Rough Edges by Shannon K. Butcher - Free Book Online Page B

harsh glare and shook his head. “Stay quiet. All you’re going to do is make things worse.”
    Bella clamped her lips shut and swallowed down the string of vile curses she wanted to fling at both the lawyer and the cops. How dare they handcuff Victor like he was a criminal? He was a good, honorable man. He’d risked his life to serve his country and keep all of them safe. And this was how they repaid him?
    She grabbed the lawyer’s thousand-dollar suit jacket in her bloody fist. “You get him out, understand?”
    â€œI’ll do my best.”
    â€œYour best had better have him back at his place before dinnertime. Or we’re finding a new law firm to represent the Edge.”
    Payton shifted his stance. She wasn’t sure if it was to block her view of Victor being hauled away in handcuffs or to get close enough to stop her from inflicting violence on the suit. Whatever the case, the lawyer left, bringing up the tail end of the police parade.
    Payton gave her a paternal frown. “No need for threats, Bella. I’m sure Victor will be free soon. He did nothing wrong. He’s a highly decorated soldier with a lot of powerful friends.”
    She unleashed some of her anger on Payton, not even caring that they had an audience. “This is all your fault. If you’d taken Stynger down years ago, rather than helping her, that man they just wheeled out of here would still be alive. He never would have attacked me, and Victor never would have had to shoot him. You don’t get to pretend like it’s all going to work out fine, like it isn’t a fucking tragedy that someone lost a son, a brother, or a father today. That man’s blood is on your hands, just like mine is.” She thrust her bloody palms in his face.
    Payton flinched and closed his eyes for a split second before facing her again. “I’m fully aware of my role in all of this. I accept responsibility for my actions and lack thereof. If you want to punish me, so be it, but your energy is better spent on finding Stynger and stopping her.”
    â€œYou think I don’t know that? I’ve worked myself sick trying to clean up your mess. She’s in the wind—vanished—and she’s taken Gage with her. If he doesn’t come back in one piece, if she put one of those damn implants in his head, I’m holding you personally responsible.”
    Payton bowed his head. “That makes two of us.”

Chapter Eight
    J ordyn Stynger pulled up the video feed connected to Gage Dallas’s cell. She’d been watching him for weeks now and still couldn’t figure out why he was here.
    Mother always began altering her test subjects within a few days of acquiring them. What was so special about this one?
    Maybe it was because he’d come of his own free will, knowing what awaited him. His brother Adam had been the one who was supposed to come, but Gage had taken his place.
    Was it possible that Mother was growing a conscience? Jordyn had hoped to channel her mother’s abilities into something less destructive for a long time—ever since she’d learned that the work they did was less about saving the world and more about money and power. There was no impending threat as Jordyn had always been taught. The world wasn’t coming to an end. Mother’s cash was.
    Jordyn had had more than one opportunity to leave, but if she did, who would mitigate the damage Mother did? Who would dare go against a woman who had an army of men willing to do whatever she ordered, no matter how horrible or dangerous?
    The only saving grace Jordyn had was that she was Norma Stynger’s daughter—her only genetic link to the future. There was power in that, but as time went on, Jordyn began to wonder if even that was enough to protect her from Mother’s wrath.
    The video screen blinked to life, showing the newcomer in his cell. He was shirtless as he exercised, using what little