Free RAGE (The Rage Series Book 2) by MJ Riley Page B

coming.
                  However, when she opened the door, it wasn't the tall, dark, and handsome man who stood before her, but Leah, clad in a pair of Bermuda shorts and a bikini top. It was clear from her damp hair that she'd recently taken a dip in the ocean. Charlotte could only stare at her, utterly at a loss for what to say.
                  “Um....hi,” Leah said, looking up at the taller woman.
                  “Hi,” Charlotte replied, her voice flat. She still wasn't overly fond of the flirtatious woman or of the way she acted around David. “Can I help you with something?”
                  “I figured we could talk.” Leah's tone was neutral, her expression guarded. “We haven't really gotten a chance to, considering that we've spent so much time together lately.”
                  “We've spent time together because you're helping us plan a way around my father, not because we're girlfriends who are ready to hit the mall, Leah.” The words came out harsher than Charlotte had intended.
    Immediately, Leah was on the defensive. “Excuse me? What's your problem? I just want to help David. The only reason why I’m helping you is because David’s asking me to.”
                  “Oh I'm sure it's all for David,” Charlotte replied, oozing with sarcasm. “How long did it take after you met him to start planning how to get into bed with him?”
                  Leah's face went slack in outrage. “Well, I suppose you'd know all about that. You were so busy getting into his pants that you happened to overlook a potential familial detail.”
                  “My father hid that from both of us,” Charlotte answered in a low hiss, her eyes narrow, “and you know it. That's the only reason we're out here, though I'm sure your taking it as an opportunity to sneak into his room as soon as you get the chance. Good luck with that. I'm sure you've heard he's excellent at faking it.”
                  “You bitch .” Leah's tone was low and trembling. “You don't know anything about him.”
                  “And you do?” Charlotte shot back before barking a laugh. “You've been his lawyer for what, two weeks?”
                  “Maybe you're forgetting I'm Marshall's sister, and Marshall has known David for twenty-five years. He knew him when your father hired him and when he fired him in disgrace. He knew him while David was suffering, working three jobs to support his family, and struggling to stay in school. He'd come home to me and tell me how much he admired David for doing what it took to keep going, even though he must be falling apart inside.” Leah shook her head in dark amusement, her smile wry. “You think you know about pain? You're just a little girl with Daddy issues. Could you imagine finding one of your parents dead in the bathtub? Supporting your near- comatose mother through your high school years?  Hell, I'd have been shocked if he hadn't tried something, with all that Emerson Mathers put him through. Now, you stand there and try to tell me you know him better than I do.”
                  For a moment, Charlotte was struck absolutely dumb. Leah's words were painful, and they were harsh; but, they were also true. Different people dealt with their problems in a variety of ways. What David had tried to do had been wrong, yes; but, it had been how he'd dealt with a lifetime of pain. It was what had kept him from crumbling when the world seemed to be falling to shit around him.
                  What did she do when the going got tough? Cry on Addy's shoulder. Go shopping. Donate a million to one of the charities she loved to back. She'd thought she was desolate her entire life because an odious man had refused to pay her attention. She'd been showered with whatever she wanted from an early age while David had struggled to keep food