جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 70

ANYA’S POV“Mrs Ross!” The man in the front row did not wait to be called on. “Brent Calloway, Financial Ledger. You’ve been chief executive for less than two weeks, and your degree is in fine arts. Why should investors trust a painter with a billion-dollar debt?”A low murmur ran through the lobby, and forty cameras clicked at once. In the second row Gregory Hale sat with his arms folded, wearing the expression of a man who had come to enjoy a funeral. I gripped the edge of the podium and looked at Brent for a moment.“That’s a fair question,” I said. “They shouldn’t trust me yet.”The murmur stopped.“Excuse me?” Brent frowned.“Trust has to be earned, and I’ve earned very little of it so far. What I can promise is that I’ll tell you what I find, even when it’s ugly.” I leaned on the podium. “I don’t know everything about this company. I’m learning it one file at a time, and I won’t pretend otherwise.”A woman in the third row lifted her pen. “Then what do you know?”“I know that th

ANYA'S POVKane was still in the armchair when I opened my eyes the next morning. His jacket was draped over the armrest, and his neck was bent at an angle that would probably leave him regretting his decision later. I lay under the blanket and watched him sleep for a full minute before I allowed myself to think about my father’s whisper.Tomorrow. I’ll bring it to her.Tomorrow was today. The vote was at two.“You’re staring,” Kane said without opening his eyes.“You’re snoring.”“I never snore.” He sat up, rubbed his face, and gave me a sleepy, rumpled smile that went straight through my ribs. “What time is it?”“Seven.” I hesitated before adding, “Kane, thank you for last night.”“You don’t have to thank me for sitting in a chair.”“I’m thanking you for not asking me any questions.&rdq

ANYA’S POVKane did not move. My hand was still against his cheek, and I could feel his pulse jumping under my thumb. It was fast and uneven, like a man standing at the edge of something very high.“Anya,” he said quietly. “You are home.”“I know.” I almost laughed. “I mean you. I don’t want you to go home tonight.”He closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them. I understood he was trying very hard not to want it too visibly.“I need you to be sure,” he said. “I don’t trust myself to decide anything. Whatever happens, you decide. You can stop me, or stop yourself, or tell me to leave in the middle of the night, and I will go.”

ANYA’S POV“Legal’s floor,” I repeated, and the words sat in my mouth like cold metal. “Victoria’s floor.”“Or anyone with access to it,” Adam said. “I’m not accusing anybody yet. I’m telling you where the signal begins.”“Then I need to go there.”“Absolutely not,” Tara said.“Think about it. If I ask Victoria, she’ll lie. If I ask Kane, he’ll give me that look and try to convince me to stay home.” I pushed the hair away from my face. “Nobody on that floor knows I suspect anything. The only way to find out what’s really going on is to see it for myself, when no one’s expecting me.”“You can’t just walk into your company and head straight to the department without a legitimate reason for being there. And I’m pretty sure sneaking in at midnight isn’t what you have in mind either.”“Well, you’re right about walking in there without a reason, but I can get around that part. I run the company, remember?” I gave him a small, knowing smile. “Besides, Kane’s security team kept Paige’s old ac

KANE’S POVThe call from the lobby came at 9:14 the next morning, while I stood in Anya’s office going over the Halcyon files with her, my coffee growing cold in my hand.“Mrs Ross?” Mrs Lindqvist’s voice came through the speaker. “There are five men downstairs asking to see you. The man in front says his name is Marek Voss. He doesn't have an appointment, and he says he doesn't need one.”Anya looked up from the file in front of her. I had never mentioned Voss to her, but I watched her lips press together as she repeated the name silently, as though she were trying to remember where she had heard it before.“Who is he?” she asked.“A creditor.” I set my cup down. “Liam borrowed money from him. I was hoping he'd wait a few more weeks before deciding to pay us a visit.”“How much money?”“Enough to make this unpleasant.”“That isn't an answer, Kane.”“No, it isn't.” I studied her expression. “And I don't want you walking into a room with a man like Voss without knowing what you're deal