pread, the signet ring catching light from the window. Faith could see

A translation, as if he needed to rende

"You taught me that too. Always have le

an stood motionless beside her, his face professionally blank,

USB drive. His thumb tu

g a timeline, looking for the moment he'd missed this developing. "The Mercer acq

information. In c

und in my desk-" His jaw

m irrelevant. That I should be grateful for whatever attention you choose to spare." Faith shook her head. "I don't car

, his voice flat. He looked at Julian,

It was a reasonable delay. A man like Branson

ian said, gatheri

s-walled conference room, Holly hovering nervously by the door, while Julian checked his watch. Ten minutes passed.

. Branson stood there, his expression

," he co

eplaced by something colder, more dangerous. Branson picked up the USB drive. He walked to his compute

rom his cheeks as he scrolled through page after page of analysis. Kincaid's fund had been thorough. They'd identifie

s sharp, lethal, like the edge of a razor, stripped of all pretense

usness." Faith moved to stand beside him, close enough to see the screen. Charts in red and black. Pro

he approached any due diligence. She could see him calculating-probability of leak, cost of defense, stock

" But he didn't sou

way with nothing. Kincaid gets no leverage. Your stock price stays stable. Or refuse,

projections, she thought, or cash flow analysis. His nail was bitten, she noti

losure terms. I want them expanded. She can'

m his briefcase. "Standard NDA, mutual protections, pena

oving slightly. Then he reached into his drawer and withdrew a pe

he click was loud

't look at her. "You have no

, Bra

etters he'd spent his life making valuable. Page after page, waivers and releases and

tched the pen hover, watched his throat work as

d. Final signatur

wall, leaving a black slash on the cream paint before clat

udible. "All of you. Take your pa

g copies, sliding papers into his briefcase with the speed of a man w

door, Faith paused.

ice low and steady. "Julian has your severance pack

new envelope Julian handed her. Then she turned and walked toward the main

just felt the weight of his stare

the time. "Sure, here's the modified sentence:"New York State requires both parties

napped up. "You

a

the room, at the empire that demanded his att

ou can explain to your board why the stock dropped forty per

e door. Her hand was on the han

ai

idn't

that might have been pride or might have been fear. "You think you've

fore her, gray and anonymous, leading to elevators an

" she said, and