She stalled.“Why…what?”
“What don’t you want me to see in there?”
Oh, so many things.The questionable invoices.The unethical supplier letters.A list of overdue tax filings.She wasn’t protecting Mark.
She was protecting herself.Her job.Her ability to keep feeding the people she loved.
“Nothing,” she lied.
There was a beat of silence.
And then he stepped back.
Jemma released the breath she’d been holding.
“Okay,” he said, voice neutral.“Let’s do the tour.I want to evaluate the department heads.See who’s worth keeping.”
Her stomach dropped.
That phrasing.
He wasn’t just looking.He washunting.
Because if she knew anything from her short time at Sinstack Designs, it was that most of the leadership team here were as toxic as Mark—people who thrived on intimidation, backstabbing, and whatever power they could hold over their minions.
And now Saif had walked into their den with fire in his eyes.
Jemma turned, leading him down the hallway, her mind already racing.
He was going to burn this place to the ground.
And she didn’t know if she’d be among the survivors when he was done.
Chapter 9
Four hours later, Saif was livid.
He’d walked through every department with Jemma, and while she tried to shield the staff, tried to answer his questions with the polished professionalism he remembered, it hadn’t been enough to hide the rot.
The department heads were mostly posturing buffoons—yes-men who clearly hadn’t faced a serious challenge in years.They deferred to Jemma when they couldn’t answer even basic questions.Which was often.
Jemma, sharp as ever, filled in the blanks.Too quickly.Too smoothly.
Which only confirmed his suspicion.
She’d been doing their jobs.All of them.Quietly.Probably for months.
And he was done asking politely.
“We’re getting something to eat,” he said, his tone allowing no argument.
He placed a firm hand against the small of her back—an unconscious gesture, one his body made before his brain caught up.It was muscle memory.Familiar.Possessive.
What surprised him most was how instinctively she leaned in.She fit perfectly against his side, like no time had passed at all.
They walked out of the building together, his guards falling into formation like a silent, protective ring.
“Where’s a good place to eat?”he asked, scanning the street.
