The Quinn family was among their victims. Even back when she didn''t know Dan was the head of ck Gate, Yvonne had wanted to tear the organization apart. Finding out he was in charge only intensified that desire.


    "The pressure is gone now, really," she said. The moment she learned Susanna wasn''t at ck Gate but safe with her brother, Ronald, a huge weight had lifted from her shoulders. She had been genuinely terrified that her mistake would drive a wedge between Hull and Ronald.


    "Star said you weren''t feeling well. I''m worried..."


    "It''s not because of stress!" The psychological pressure was gone, but she still felt sick to her stomach, didn''t she?


    "In any case—"


    "Look, I''lle back as soon as things with Hull are settled. Don''t worry about me. Xander''s here." The mention of Xander''s name brought a wave of exasperation. She and Xander had grown up together. He wasn''t this unreliable when they were kids. Shawn, on the other hand, had always been a screw-up. Maybe Xander had spent too much time with Shawn and his stupidity had rubbed off on him.


    Just as Ronald was about to say more, a maid knocked. "Sir, Mr. Yoder is back!" Ronald''s brow furrowed at the news.


    The maid continued, "And he''s clinging to Ste''s legs and won''t let go."


    Ronald''s face immediately darkened. He stood up abruptly, speaking into the phone, "If you''re not feeling well,e back immediately. Or I''ll send people to get you." Litamark was in chaos due to the power ys between their various factions. Xander and Hull werepletely focused on ck Gate. If Yvonne were toe back, Ronald would only feel safe if his own men escorted her.


    But Yvonne refused. "I''m noting back yet."


    "Why not?"


    "Dan is a sneaky bastard. Xander doesn''t have that kind of cunning."


    Ronald paused. Dan? Xander?


    "You''re worried he''ll outsmart Xander?" For the first time, Ronald detected something different in Yvonne''s tone. Her feelings... they seemed to be for Xander.


    Yvonne stammered, "I''m not worried about him, just think he''s an idiot. He couldn''t even exin himself to you all those years ago and ended up wandering around for years. Dan h?s a thousand tricks up his sleeve. He''s a snake. A guy like Xander, who only knows how to charge in headfirst, is going to get yed sooner orter."


    Yvonne keptining about how dumb Xander was, but the tense line of Ronald''s brow softened. A


    sm


    small


    touched his lips as he said two


    words: "Suit yourself."


    He hung up the phone and descended the stairs with lightning speed. From thending, he saw Finley clinging to Ste''s legs while Ste covered her mouth.


    "Finley, for God''s sake, go take a shower! Please, just go wash!" Ste pleaded.


    "Not until you promise to talk to Ronald for me! I''m begging you!"


    "Fine, fine, I''ll talk to him! I''ll talk! Now 11 I''m begging you* to go take a shower, please?" If she had to smel him for another second, she was going to be sick again. Seriously the stenching off Finley was something else entirely. Ste felt like she was about to pass out.


    Hearing that Ste would speak up for him, Finley instantly released her legs. But a


    secondter, he grabbed them again.


    Ste stared in disbelief. Seriously?


    "Now what are you doing?" The normally short-tempered Ste had to fight the urge


    to smack him over the head.