The Enemy's Embrace

ER'

these

e t

necessity for the w

after the debacle that ha

e to ensure the stares a

g like chalk on board, while the men in tailored suits exchange greetin

expensive perfumes, fin

the room, my eyes scanning the

th Greg earlier is

, the practiced ease with which he'd

pre

ff, my patience already stretched thin. I don't

ir

ways, though the tightness around his eyes showing

I ask, cutting thro

e. He will b

twice, then plunge the room into darkness. A collective g

mutter, instincti

laring alarm cuts through th

ed, casting long, sharp shadows that

h the speakers. "Security breac

lm

al

lm evaporates, re

bling as they stumble toward exits and my pulse q

hear him. My attention is drawn to the giant monitors on t

t, it's

en. Financial records, confidential contracts, sensitive com

omach

this?" I whisper,

on his phone,

, rushes in moments later, his usually composed face pale and

ee, my voice cold and

tor snaps, his usual fatherly tone replace

company's bleeding out in front of e

ndle the fallout, Asher. Righ

omething about his tone, about the way his eyes da

r now, cutting through the noise. "Where were

neutral. "We are looking into it. I

I have poured millions into making sure something like this couldn't happen.

his tone placating, bu

re supposed to know everything. You're supposed to protec

nce is d

's when

he room, her expression unreadable. She doesn't look p

hifts. The memory of her words

keeping you in the dark? Ma

bsurd at the time, but n

y focus is locked on Maeve. She starts to tur

e chaos around me. When I reach her,

ing here?" My vo

ression infuriatingly calm. "I

ith me," I snap. "H

to a faint smile. "I was invited. I hav

simmering just below the surface. "

ources to pull off something like this? And

uldn't sting,

the situation crashes down on me. The questi

ady. "You look like you could

too busy replaying everything she's s

ne," I say, my voice colder than I in

eliberate, and for a moment,

myself I'm

slightly before turning and walking away, leavi