of Kane Technologies, clutching a steaming cup of

er one: d

: don't let him

e: whatever happ

executives, flashing screens, and controlled chaos. She'd never worked in an o

gainst the polished floor as

icking briefly to Isabella's modest outfit with a barely conceale

tor alone, watching t

hte

omach

rld of its own. Everything was sterile, sleek, and silent. The ligh

out the moment she pa

inutes early.

s at his desk, eyes on a dual-screen mo

mail correspondence, and meeting prep. You'll also oversee

oward her. "Your t

en before he added, "I expe

inked. "It's..

t, Miss Sinclair. You're here to learn how the

ngue and nodde

is flight to San Francisco, prepare a full briefing file on a biotech merger, locate his preferred green juice fro

ugh her blouse, her hair a frizzy me

even touc

the desk intercom, smooth as sin. "Where's

izing it, just chec

had four

w, I j

it in

ent mask, and marched into his office, folde

she said, placing

hrough the p

narrowing. "You didn't include

e. "I th

sharp. "In this company, you don't get points for effo

she said,

romise.

eyes l

his expression just for a second. A flicker

s gone ju

e dism

e day didn't g

y another executive. Missed a calendar update and

was packing up her things when Alexander

till here

or a dig. "I wanted to make sure ev

her a mom

hed into his coat pocket and t

tared

k cred

t's

ackage tonight. Do not open it. Do not be lat

sked, startled.

ink," he said sharply.

red, but she

nreadable look, then t

in a dim alley off West 14th Street

uldn't

mistake?

e address agai

knoc

the door and looked her up and

itated.

d aside. "It's in the

briefcase sat

out another word. The weight of it near

ell was in

on to peek inside the e

ny Brooklyn apartment table, she exhale

uldn't

y, really

curiosit

e littl

open the cas

tech. It was something far more