Read Online Soul of the Dragon by Natalie J. Damschroder - Free Book Online Page A

sighed. Mostly fine meant everyone was fit and healthy, but her little brother was in deep shit.  
    “What did he do now?”  
    “He who, dear?”  
    “Aunt Ethel…”  
    Ethel breathed deep. “Okay. I really didn’t want to call you. But your father insisted, and I knew the conversation wouldn’t go well if I let him call.”  
    Paul Ranger was not a tactful man. And he had no tolerance for his son.  
    “What happened?”  
    Ethel hemmed and hawed for a good minute before blurting, “Peter is getting married.”  
    Stunned, Alexa switched ears. The left one must be clogged with sleep.  
    “He’s what?”  
    “Getting married.”  
    “To who?”  
    “To whom, dear.”  
    “I don’t know whom . That’s why I’m asking.”  
    “No, I mean—“  
    “I know what you mean, Aunt Ethel. Sorry to be cheeky. Who is he marrying and why is it a problem?”  
    “Her name is Victoria Chambers and your father is certain she’s a gold digger. Peter doesn’t have the best track record, you know.”  
    Alexa knew Victoria Chambers. She was a sweet, shy girl two years younger than Peter. Alexa had tutored her in math one year. She came from a relatively poor family, though a hard-working one. Alexa had thought Victoria had abusive or alcoholic parents—all too common in the poor families in the suburb of Seattle where she grew up—but her fears had been unfounded. But unless the girl was a brain surgeon or corporate attorney, her father would never be convinced she wasn’t after Peter’s trust fund.  
    “Let me talk to Dad.”  
    “Thank you.” Aunt Ethel’s relief was clear.  
    “Alexa.” Paul Ranger had a fairly peaceful voice and calm demeanor. Few people sensed the cauldron of anger that boiled several inches below the surface. “Where are you?”  
    “I’m working, Dad.”  
    “I talked to Rock. You’re not working.”  
    Alexa scowled. “What do you mean, you talked to Rock?”  
    “He called looking for you. Told me about your resignation.”  
    Heaving a sigh, she tried to dodge. “What’s going on with Peter?”  
    “We’ll get to that. Why did you resign?”  
    “I had something personal to take care of.”  
    “It had to be pretty important for you to leave that damn company.”  
    Alexa caught a hint of fear in her father’s voice. That didn’t make sense. He hated GenCom, badgered her every visit to quit.  
    “Aren’t you glad?”  
    “I’d be glad if I didn’t think you were into something more dangerous. You have no backup.”  
    “Kurt’s helping me out. I also have a pretty big partner.”  
    “What are you doing?”  
    “I can’t tell you.”  
    “You mean you won’t tell me.” His voice had hardened. Anger bubbling up. Volcano about to erupt. He was so predictable.  
    “You wouldn’t believe it, you’d try to stop me, it would ruin everything. Multiple lives.”  
    “The only life that matters is yours. Your mother—” He halted. Alexa perked up. This was a new twist on an old theme. He never, ever mentioned her mother.  
    “What about Mom?”  
    “Nothing. I need you to come home and help me fix Peter.”  
    Alexa laughed. “He’s not broken, Dad.”  
    “He will be if we don’t stop this wedding.”  
    “I’m not stopping it—even if I could—unless Peter gives me a reason to try. Where is he?”  
    “He’s living with that harlot . In an apartment in The Hills.”  
    Alexa whistled. The Hills was the ritzy development in Addison. Even if Peter had gotten a raise, his veterinarian technician job wouldn’t pay enough to live there.  
    “What does Victoria do?”  
    “She’s an operations manager for some small company. They’re subletting from a friend of Peter’s. But she obviously has expensive taste. She’s after his trust fund.”  
    “He doesn’t even get it for another year.”  
    “Thanks to you, it’s big enough to wait for.”  
    Alexa absorbed the hit, because it was true. When