ear gripped me instantly

ir

ed on his laptop, his voice steady with the assu

hadn't placed my face. Maybe he didn't remember. I held ont

e problem,

e. I don't know wher

ll, corner o

atte, espresso, black, mild, strong-and choosing the wr

lack, strong enough to

d, afraid to spill a drop before reaching his office. The employees l

n the door.

d me, the cup in both h

own?" Marcus said as I lean

use

self."His eyes finally

up weighed heavily, and the heat already made its way into my

veyard, with only the sound of his fingers pressing against his keypad. T

op

ending slightly to se

on my side. Just as I leaned in by the side of

as

the shattered pieces of ceramic glass on the ground, as

wn at the mess, then back at me. He didn't speak, b

. I'll get t

" He leaned back in his ch

t the clea

u should get i

retary, not t

eyes- surprised- as if he'd

er enough to clean my shirt y

But for now, I got down anyway, because I needed thi

ht of Marcus's dreadful eyes, I understood this was

in silence, the same way he'd watch

ped in my hand and another with a coffee-soaked nap

d other plans

My head bowed

this your idea of professionali

like they'd rehearsed the line together. Same coldness. S

uld do better." I mut

eyes when I'm

d. Those eyes held noth

ess. One more, and you're g

came out smaller t

e to follow my rules, especially if you

omething in me. To

to pace around in the space bet

my office. Clean it. Every surface, every corner. If I see a s

ely made it

e slowly; his eyes kept me gro

ard, spine straight, refusing to turn and

wer my calls before the second ring. When I come in the mor

ll; he lifted my hair, sweeping it from where it

g and

e conditioned air. My pulse quickened, and I hated that I couldn't tell

lied because wha

aid as he stepped back in

y chest. Back at my desk, I collapsed into my chair and reach

his floor. He has my father's exact rule - one mistake, and you're worthless - except

y palms flat against the desk, w

ees kept loo

t day." One of the employees whispered to a

u

tercom

pine. It hadn't even been up to f

s,

le given to you

ine e

t another summons

it carefully on the corner of his desk this ti

around quickly to return to my desk be

n with Tom W

in time. I looked at Marcus from over my shoulder- not full

k?" My voice c

e he hadn't just said something that had turned my blood to

oo quickly. "Does

ton. Just remember,

didn't know how I made it out of that

o reason. Name came up. Nobody in New York had any reason to know that name. No

i

ation appeare

is. Come alone. The Lindgren, 8pm. As

, a second me

six years old. My mother stood beside me in front of a building I hadn't seen bef