hing group's headquarters, the con

ook by the late Silas Thorne onto the glas

ville, the budget is over by two hund

th hands on the glass. "You cannot comprom

aggressively circled the massive deficit at the bottom of the page. "I'm not compromis

spat, his face turning red. "You don't

table, turned on his heel, and

fight draining out of her. She closed her eyes, th

utive penthouse suite, the temperature in

, pushed open the double walnut doors. He wore a perfectl

wore a dark grey bespoke suit that fit his broad shoulders flawlessly. He held

forward, extending his right hand. "Welcome back to New York. It's an hon

ropped to Brent's outstretched hand. He stared at it for thr

s hand back and wiped his palm against his tro

e crossed his long legs, resting his ankle on his knee. His post

"Where are the structural assessment files?" His voice

nds. He grabbed two crystal tumblers. The ice clinked loudly against the

the table toward Aidan. "We have them ready. But

was unreadable. He picked up the tumbler but didn't bring it to his l

ion. Congratulations. I have to ask, though... why leave Paris? Why

oving. A dark, violent

His gaze cut through Brent'

dropping to a lethal whisper. "Did you think I'd forgotten what was mi

His hand trembled, and a single drop of whiskey spilled

mixing with the sudden, heavy tension that f

He looked at the floor, the ceiling, anywhere bu

down onto the table. The heavy thu

over Brent. "I'm tak

turned his back on Brent and walk