l glass and sunlight, but

ist slide featuring the newest Crest innovation: The Halo Cuff. A slim, high-end wearable, cross-wired

ch hadn't been plastered across

y despite the bruise in her tone. "We lean into the buzz. We call

stifled yawn. No

ow that refused to leave. Hands behind his back, still as sculp

where he was. She could feel it-his presence, heavy, constant.

ce entering the room. And still,

Livia continued. "No one breathes on them unl

Miss Grant" response

r designers, leaned back in his chair, arms crossed li

inel in the back going to be part of all our meetings now? Or j

d sharp. "That's not

e-intimidation chic-I'd just like to know if I shoul

rippled through the r

Worry about your design

when there's a very large man pretending

nt. Still

linked

s had lande

g enough to make Livia's stoma

insulted. But l

, but no one said anyt

am looked like overcaffeinated interns at a startup implosion. Half were distrac

d loosely behind his back, expression locked in that unreadable calm. He wasn't

des, her tone clipped. "I want the new la

ob, dropped her stylus in a panic, then scrambled to pick it up

d m

But smoothly, like he w

nd shifted the cup aside in a clean, practic

e back without a word. A

icked "thank you." The

herself watch

from the wall to t

and whispered something behind his palm. She for

-key inappropriate, high-key jealous, and alway

. "Meeting's over. Go

shuffled out like they wer

ered near

g to play hall monitor, maybe give him a suit that fits next tim

didn'

ntest shift in his jaw.

cu

on with a smile that

on. You're barely keeping up w

, momentar

provoked-cut across the space

last collectio

oze. "..

you uploaded at 2:37 a.m. Sunday

nce was

ward a protest-but Livia had alrea

t her. He didn't

sage was lo

re than

say a word

o step beside her. Not to the junior designer who

ire, heels echoing with military clarity. And rig

y to her office be

senior designers of corporate t

without fli

N

d an obs

eyes. "You knew w

ually

d inside, motioning him in behind her. The gla

im. "Tell me exact

soldiers do when they're not sure if the person acro

rs-using a machine not registered to Crest's

ll did you

ity logs before your 9:00 a.m.

your job,"

was contracted to prevent further interna

her arms. "Y

y I saw what you

ug about it. Hated even mor

eding space between them. Her hand hovere

y-four hours," she said. "And you alr

ven full

El

es

ared a

stare

there like you didn't just h

rected

barrass

tly. "Is your concern his

e was answ

, slowly. Still no

r company is trying to dismantle it. Quietly. From underneath. Your desi

"You already profil

on. His body language w

ot just s

N

. "Then wha

e without blink

read, sharp

analyzed. But Reid wasn't condescending. He wasn't trying to

her chair, crossi

t if you plan to keep pulling stunts like that in

need de

y, "but you clearly

dn't

st maybe-there was a glin