Depths of Salvation (Love on the Edge) Read Online Free Page A

down to her site, do a few jobs, and make her realize there is nothing worth millions down there, then you’ve done your job, and she can get on to the next site. No harm, no foul. Just loads of money saved.”
    My stomach churned with the prospect of doing something so dirty, but the idea of having enough money to set up more of Conner’s rehab centers all over the country? That was enough to make me speak. “I want ten percent.”
    “Of what? My soul?” Slade laughed.
    “Of the one hundred and twenty million I save you by doing this.”
    His grin disappeared. “Five.”
    “Ten,” I said. Ryan shifted his weight beside me, and I ignored his awestruck look.
    “Seven and a half.”
    “Ten or nothing. I’m not the one who needs this to happen. You are.”
    Slade rubbed his palms over his face. He had turned a shade of beet-red before he took a deep breath. “Fine. Ten.” He pointed at me. “You still have to report here if we have an emergency weld necessary.”
    “Deal.”
    “And you understand the terms? You side with me at the end of all this, or you can say goodbye to not only that ten percent but every future job you have lined up. I have an extensive reach, and I’m not afraid to use it to trash your name if you fuck with me on this.”
    Anger flared in my gut, and I took a step toward his desk, fist clenched. “Son of a bi—“
    “How about a beer to celebrate?” Ryan clamped his hand on my chest, stopping my motion. He pushed, successfully maneuvering me to the doorway. I gave Slade one last look, but the cocky bastard was already engrossed in his inbox on the computer screen to his right.
    I shook Ryan off as we walked down the hallway. “Asshole.”
    “Hey, at least he’s an asshole who’s about to set you up for life.” Ryan led the way to the jet skis we kept stored on sea level.
    “Yeah, I’ll believe it when I see it,” I said, breathing in the salty air as we stepped outside.
    The wind pushed my hair back, cooling the sweat that had dotted my forehead. It wasn’t every day I was presented with an opportunity to make more money in a couple months than should even be possible in a lifetime for me, and despite living a simple life, I couldn’t turn it down. Not when I thought about the addict’s lives that could be helped with more funding at rehabilitation clinics across the country. My chest tightened as I wondered if Conner’s had been better funded if it would’ve made a difference.
    No. He’d still be dead and you’d still be to blame.
    “You think he’ll back out?” Ryan asked—successfully killing the judgmental voice in my head—as we mounted a jet ski each.
    “Depends.” As badly as I wanted it I had learned over the years to never get hopeful about anything. Ever. It only makes the disappointment sting that much more.
    “On?” he asked.
    “On how badly he wants this chick out of the way,”I said.
    Ryan shook his head. “I’ve never seen anyone fluster him as much as her. She’s got to have some pull or he wouldn’t have bothered tasking you.”
    I nodded and glanced toward the island. It wasn’t far from the vessel, and while I enjoyed going on land for a brew, I wasn’t sure about this latest venture.
    “She’ll likely be headed toward the Head of Government’s office.”
    “Right.” I motioned him to lead the way and started the engine. The image of Sadie in Slade’s office, puffed up and pissed off, shot a spark of fire through my chest.
    Something in my gut told me she wasn’t a girl to mess with, but then again, I lived for the challenges in life.

Sadie
    NEMO PULLED THE tiny speedboat away from Slade’s pipeline vessel and pointed it in the direction of the island. I could still feel the heat on my cheeks that had nothing to do with the beaming sun above us. Acid rolled in my stomach and if I had eaten anything between when I got the call from Liz and now, I would’ve thrown it up over the side of the boat.
    Mr. Slade wouldn’t listen to