Her Silent Revenge novel Chapter 41

For us, it's different.

Mom doesn't want to forget where we came from. Archer's the same way, proud to a fault, and Dex—well, fuck if I know what Dex thinks about anything when he's so tight-lipped.

All I know is I hate it when our family gets looked at like an artifact. An extension of a distant president my great-grandfather helped up the political ladder with his old connections in the Kansas City political machine.

If people focus too much on our family's past, they don't appreciate the present.

They look at Higher Ends as a sure thing running off old money, and not the scrappy start-up that's had to fight with teeth and claws for every success.

What we're doing now has nothing to do with Truman or my grandparents.

"And your grandparents?" she guesses.

"Great-grandparents, yes. They were thick as thieves back in the day."

"Wow. It must be kinda nice, having so much history you can look back on. I'm sure it grounds you."

"Don't you?" I ask before I can help myself. "Have history, I mean."

"I mean, my family history isn't anything like yours… Your family left a mark. A huge one that'll always be there for the city," she says dryly, reaching out and touching the corner of the frame like it could transport her back to the 1930s when Truman was first elected senator.

"That's what it looks like, I guess. Still, we built Higher Ends from the ground up. None of us ever wanted to take the family name or the money for granted." I turn to face her, and this time she doesn't flinch. "My family history is insane. This house is insane. Hell, my house is pretty decent. But we're not just that, Salem. We're not bottom-feeders running off the past."

There's a flash of understanding in her eyes as she looks up at me. "You're carving your own path. That means a lot to you, huh?"

"Damn right," I grind out. For the first time, I appreciate how good she looks with the coat and winter gear gone.

She's dressed casually in a textured sweater tucked into the waistband of jeans that hug the curve of her hips.

Shit, what hips.

I don't remember a lot from that night, but there's no forgetting her lush little ass.

I remember it in glorious detail, my knuckles turning white as I held on for dear life, railing her soul out from behind…

I shake my head until my brain rattles. Bad idea, checking her out like this.

I definitely shouldn't wonder how much she's changed under those clothes now that she's had a kid, let alone whether she still has any fun that doesn't involve trips to toy stores and G-rated movies.

"Hi, Evelyn," I say, accepting her kiss on my cheek this time. "This is Salem Hopper, my assistant with our flagship property, The Cardinal. Hope you don't mind her joining us today?"

"Not at all." Evelyn pours us both some tea, orange with rosehips, judging by the smell. "Here you go, dearie. Goodness! It's so nice to be here this time of year. It's positively balmy compared to Minnesota."

"That bad? Even with the last snowstorm?" Salem accepts the tea and sits.

"Bless your heart, no. That wasn't anything like back home. There, you can step outside and watch your breath freeze before you lose it in the blizzard." She laughs and sips her tea. "But where were we, anyway?"

"Wherever you'd like to start. Take us away," I urge, slurping my own tea.

We all gather our thoughts and drink for a moment. It's good to let the air settle first, and Salem clearly has the right idea. She's more composed than she has been all morning as she enjoys the tea.

"Now," Evelyn starts, her tone changing slightly, "coming here does help break up the winter. It's my third since Walt—my late husband, dearie—passed away."

"I'm sorry to hear it," Salem says.

Evelyn's eyes drift to the succulents in the corner.

"You are such a sweetheart. He was such an avid gardener. He spent his whole life running a chain of gardening stores. Why, I'd have to pry him away sometimes for a nice spring trip to Vegas. The miracles he worked in our home garden—we'd have vegetables all winter—oh, and the greenhouse! You should have seen it. All those bright flowers and fruits and herbs. I miss them dearly."