broke out across her face. This was why she’d moved away from home, this opportunity to own her life. To create something and nurture it from its inception without always wondering if it only succeeded because of her family’s name or deep pockets.
The board president descended the steps, and walked straight toward Lila with his hand held out. “Congratulations, Dr. Emerson. Yours was one of the best proposals we’ve had in many years.”
She accepted his handshake with a smile. “Thank you, Mr. Heath. I’m very passionate about this project and can’t wait to begin.”
“We have a small budget to award you, but you’ll probably need to do some fundraising as well to increase your spendable capital.”
She had to bite her lip to distract herself from the desire to jump up and down with giddy delight. No sense in sabotaging the project before it began by acting unprofessional. “I’m going to assemble a committee of people from the community, and begin working as soon as possible.
“Excellent,” he said and he held his hand out again. “Will you stay and join us for coffee?”
She shook his hand again. “Thank you for the offer, Mr. Heath, but I didn’t get much sleep last night and I have to be at the hospital by six tomorrow, so I need to take a pass on this one.”
“Well then, you have a wonderful night.”
“Thank you, you as well.” Lila bent down and gathered her purse off the floor before she turned to leave the high school gymnasium. A number of people, some she’d met before at the hospital, shook her hand and complimented her as she passed by. After another fifteen minutes of small talk, she walked out into the cool night air.
The sun had set, and the parking lot was cast in shadows. Lila glanced around as a prickle of unease worked its way up her spine. This presentation had taken so much of her mental energy that she’d shoved the worry over the unnerving text message into the back recesses of her mind. Now she stood alone and vulnerable in a darkened parking lot. Maybe she should have taken it a bit more seriously.
The chirp of a car being unlocked sounded through the quiet night, and Lila jumped with a gasp. “Shit,” she muttered as her keys fell from her hands. Damn whoever sent that text. By the time she reached her car, she was furious over the fact that someone had scared her. She prided herself on having taken control of her life; she wasn’t going to allow some punk make her fearful of every bump in the night.
For a moment last night, she had wondered if she should tell Striker, and now the idea flashed through her mind again. She let it marinate for a moment, then dismissed it. It was probably just someone messing with her; no point in making a big deal about it until it became one.
~ ~ ~ ~
Striker rubbed a hand across the back of his neck, trying to relieve the tension in the muscles. It didn’t work, and he rested the palm of his hand on his gun as the door to Black’s opened and three Grimm Brothers walked into the bar. Each man held their arms out for Jeter to pat them down. They knew the drill, and had left any weapons outside.
Striker turned and caught the eye of the bartender. He gave the man a nod. With a quick glance at the three men who made their way to Striker’s table, the bartender headed into an office at the back of the room and closed the door with an audible thud. They’d given the man a grand to shut the bar down for one hour. More than enough to compensate for any lost business.
Really, the bar owner had no choice. What could one man do against five No Prisoners who needed private use of his bar? But they had a good relationship with him, and there wasn’t any point in fucking that up, so they paid him off.
Striker turned his attention back to the scarred wood table as Jackal, the Grimm’s president, slid into the booth opposite him and his president, Shiv. Striker didn’t recognize the man who took the seat next to Jackal. He wasn’t
The board president descended the steps, and walked straight toward Lila with his hand held out. “Congratulations, Dr. Emerson. Yours was one of the best proposals we’ve had in many years.”
She accepted his handshake with a smile. “Thank you, Mr. Heath. I’m very passionate about this project and can’t wait to begin.”
“We have a small budget to award you, but you’ll probably need to do some fundraising as well to increase your spendable capital.”
She had to bite her lip to distract herself from the desire to jump up and down with giddy delight. No sense in sabotaging the project before it began by acting unprofessional. “I’m going to assemble a committee of people from the community, and begin working as soon as possible.
“Excellent,” he said and he held his hand out again. “Will you stay and join us for coffee?”
She shook his hand again. “Thank you for the offer, Mr. Heath, but I didn’t get much sleep last night and I have to be at the hospital by six tomorrow, so I need to take a pass on this one.”
“Well then, you have a wonderful night.”
“Thank you, you as well.” Lila bent down and gathered her purse off the floor before she turned to leave the high school gymnasium. A number of people, some she’d met before at the hospital, shook her hand and complimented her as she passed by. After another fifteen minutes of small talk, she walked out into the cool night air.
The sun had set, and the parking lot was cast in shadows. Lila glanced around as a prickle of unease worked its way up her spine. This presentation had taken so much of her mental energy that she’d shoved the worry over the unnerving text message into the back recesses of her mind. Now she stood alone and vulnerable in a darkened parking lot. Maybe she should have taken it a bit more seriously.
The chirp of a car being unlocked sounded through the quiet night, and Lila jumped with a gasp. “Shit,” she muttered as her keys fell from her hands. Damn whoever sent that text. By the time she reached her car, she was furious over the fact that someone had scared her. She prided herself on having taken control of her life; she wasn’t going to allow some punk make her fearful of every bump in the night.
For a moment last night, she had wondered if she should tell Striker, and now the idea flashed through her mind again. She let it marinate for a moment, then dismissed it. It was probably just someone messing with her; no point in making a big deal about it until it became one.
~ ~ ~ ~
Striker rubbed a hand across the back of his neck, trying to relieve the tension in the muscles. It didn’t work, and he rested the palm of his hand on his gun as the door to Black’s opened and three Grimm Brothers walked into the bar. Each man held their arms out for Jeter to pat them down. They knew the drill, and had left any weapons outside.
Striker turned and caught the eye of the bartender. He gave the man a nod. With a quick glance at the three men who made their way to Striker’s table, the bartender headed into an office at the back of the room and closed the door with an audible thud. They’d given the man a grand to shut the bar down for one hour. More than enough to compensate for any lost business.
Really, the bar owner had no choice. What could one man do against five No Prisoners who needed private use of his bar? But they had a good relationship with him, and there wasn’t any point in fucking that up, so they paid him off.
Striker turned his attention back to the scarred wood table as Jackal, the Grimm’s president, slid into the booth opposite him and his president, Shiv. Striker didn’t recognize the man who took the seat next to Jackal. He wasn’t
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