Lottie''s crew had already made it to tepeak Mines.


    Meanwhile, Xander''s people had arrived at Loutan Lake, and Hull''s crew, not to be outdone, was already in Westonville.


    The next morning, Yvonne woke up to the news, feeling ridiculously refreshed.


    "Well, I''ll be damned," she grinned, popping a fat blueberry into her mouth. "If ck Gate doesn''t hand that person over after all this, I''ll eat my own hat."


    The blueberries from Litamark were something else-sweeter than anything she''d ever tasted, with this fragrant punch that made her want to eat the whole carton. Xander raised an eyebrow. "So, we''re in the clear now?"


    Yvonne reached for another berry, but Xander grabbed her hand and stole it for himself, popping it quickly into his mouth.


    Yvonne stared at him, offended. "Seriously?!"


    Now her fingers were all sticky and gross with his spit. Ugh. She wiped them off on his shirt, scowling hard enough to curdle milk.


    Xander''s face darkened. "What''s that look for?"


    "Eat your own damn berries! My fingers are covered in your slobber, you know."


    Xander just red at her. This woman, honestly.


    His phone buzzed on the table. Dan was calling.


    Xander nced at the screen, then at Yvonne. "What do you figure he wants this time?"


    Yvonne shrugged. "To beg for mercy?"


    Xander almostughed. This woman..... always so direct, never sugarcoating a thing. She really had no idea how men worked.


    He answered, not bothering to leave the room. "Mr. Murray, calling to hand her over atst?"


    "Xander, for Christ''s sake!" Dan''s voice exploded through the phone. "She''s crazy, but you-how low can you stoop? You know damn well didn''t take Susanna Are you just trying to pin every damn thing on me?"  s


    "And after the beating I tookst time, now you''re hanging this crap on me too?"


    Dan was losing it. Not only had Xander''s crew hit ck Gate''s Loutan Lake, they''d gone after his own Pigeon Peak.<fnedb5> Fresh chapters posted on f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fnedb5>


    Pigeon Peak! The ce Dan had only just snagged from Derek—not even long enough to enjoy it. He''d woken up to the news and nearly thrown his phone across the room.


    Xander stayed cool. "Look, I know what went downst time. But with Susanna? Hell if I know what you did."


    Sure, Dan hadn''t slept with Yvonnest time-but as for Susanna, who knew?


    Dan sounded like he was about tobust. "I''m telling you, I didn''t take her! How many times do I have to say it?"


    Yvonne and Xander were treating his words like background noise. Since yesterday he''d been telling them, but not only had they not let up, they''d gone even harder.


    Xander''s voice was ice. "If it wasn''t you, it was ck Gate. And you''re part of ck Gate, which means it''s your problem. If you want it to end, hand her over."


    He was echoing Yvonne''s attitude exactly. Before Dan could rant any more, Xander hung up.


    Yvonne snorted. "So he says it wasn''t him and we''re supposed to believe it? Please. Those bastards are capable of anything They think I let my guard down just because he says so? Dream on."  s


    Xander took a blueberry from her te and popped it into her mouth, trying to calm her down.


    Still, Yvonne huffed. "So what''s the deal? He''s not handing her over?"


    Xander''s voice was soft and reassuring. "He will. Just give it time."


    She rolled her eyes, shoving another berry in. "And now he''s whining about getting roughed upst time. Honestly, I just regret not finishing the job. Would''ve saved us the trouble."  s


    Xander winced, scratching his head.


    ?


    Yvonne caught his look and cut him off. "Don''t even start. Just pretend you slept


    with me, okay? Let''s call it even."