AT THE EQUESTRIAN, RICHMOND PACED back and forth inside his office. Pissed the hell off, he balled his fists. Cramps kinked inside his stomach. Salina had been a sneaky-ass liar. For many years, she’d complained about the many kind things he’d done for his own single mother. Yet, she’d gone behind his back and left an insurance policy to his employee, Jason. She’d had the insurance policy for years, too. Why on Earth would she do such a thing? Was she having an affair with Jason? Was Jason Salina’s killer? Got damn that sneaky woman. Desiring to punch a hole in his office wall, he nibbled the nail of his thumb instead.
Richmond paused in his tracks in the center of the room. Clenching his molars, his temper flared. Pulsing knots rolled at the sides of his temples. He had to calm the hell down before he made himself sick. Before he had a stroke. He was so angry, he felt he could have a heart attack and die from a broken, betrayed heart. From this day forward, he was not going to let Salina’s death stop him from living. She’d proved she wasn’t worthy of his faithfulness anymore.
That being said, he slid his wedding ring off his finger and went and placed it inside his desk drawer. He should’ve taken off the damn ring a long time ago. Right after she’d died.
Don had warned him to keep a cool demeanor around Jason until he gathered more information that would prove he was Salina’s killer. Now that task was going to be difficult. Challenging. Right now, nothing would please him more than to choke the life out of the bastard.
Knuckles rasped on Richmond’s closed office door. A ragged breath pressed from his lips as he plopped down in his leather chair. Keep a cool head. “Come in,” he said, forcing the stress to ease from his heavy shoulders.
The door peeled open, and in walked Jason. No-good-ass Jason. He and Salina deserved each other, he thought, tempted to strike the blond-haired, blue-eyed devil. “You wanted to see me?”
Not only do I want to see you, I want to kill you. Bile bubbled at the surface of his stomach. The possibility that this man may have touched his wife made Richmond want to vomit. “Yes. Come in and close the door.” Steaming like boiling water, Richmond’s leg swung back and forth beneath his desk. “This isn’t going to take long. I’m changing your duties here at the Equestrian. You will no longer give Isabelle riding lessons.” Jason’s eyes turned ice blue as his white face turned crimson. Don’t let him know you’re on to him. “I’m making you the Operations Director.”
Air whooshed from Jason’s mouth. His hand flung over his heart. “You had me scared for a second. Thought I was in trouble,” he uttered with a southern drawl. I bet you did. “Operations Director. Wow! This is a promotion, right?”
Wanting to shove his shoe up Jason’s ass, Richmond managed a fake smile. “Yes, Jason. This is a promotion, with an increase in salary.” Jason’s grin widened on his lying face. “Chelsey will go over your pay with you a little bit later today.”
“Okay. Thanks.” He wagged a finger at Richmond. “I promise you…I’m going to be the best darn Operations Director you’ve ever seen.”
“I bet you are, Jason.” Irked by Jason’s cool, aloof manner, it took everything in Richmond not to jump across the table and kill him. Jason had no clue that he and Don were on to him and watching his every waking move. His every single step. If Jason ever thought about hurting Isabelle, or CJ, or Kayla, he’d fire a bullet straight into his heart and drop his conniving ass to the floor. Best believe it, Richmond thought, thinking of the licensed loaded gun strapped to his lower spine.
Bitter and resentful, Richmond crossed the room and stood in front of Jason. Glaring into his blue eyes, the bones in his fingers ached to wrap around the devilish man’s throat and strangle him until he passed out. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m headed out to play Polo.”