Ha, boring,I muttered in my head.
As I closed my laptop screen, three sharp knocks on the door dragged me backto reality.
“Not now,” I barked, hoping the tone was enough to send whoever it wasscurrying.
But Margaret didn’t scare that easily. She cracked the door open, peeking herhead in with that infuriatingly calm expression she always wore, like nothing in the world fazed her.
That was needed for this place.
“He’s here, Marcus.” My PA's soft voice called, with a weight behind her words thatmade my stomach tighten.
I groaned again, pushing myself upright and rolling up my sleeves as I stood.The tattoos on my forearms caught in the low light, the intricate patterns a permanent reminder of the life I’d built, and the memories that were nothing more than ink on my skin.
“Fine,” I smiled as sweetly as I could, gesturing with a sharp flick of my hand.“Send him in.”
I didn’t have to wait long. The door creaked open, and a tall figure and annoyingly familiar face steppedinto the room.
The air seemed to shift, the temperature dropping a few degrees as JamieRadcliffe waltzed into my room like he paid the rent. He didn’t bother hiding the smirk on his face, like he’d walked into a reunion with an old buddy instead of the office of a man who’d been wanting to tear him apart for months.
He was another reason I hated labels.
Jamie was a family man, married, a little girlbetween them, a hero’s smile that was pure gold. He was supposed to be the best, but unbeknownst to us all what lurked underneath was anything but.
I took a long moment to look at him. Really look. His smugness was a thinveneer over a core of rot, and I cursed myself for not seeing it sooner.
“Jamie,” I said, his name coming out like a growl.
He didn't let his grin slip. “Marcus.”
I leaned forward, planting my closed fists on the desk. “You’re a real piece of shit, youknow that?”
His smirk didn’t falter. If anything, it grew. “So I’ve been told.”
Anger flared hot in my chest, but I didn’t let it show. Not yet. “You think this isfunny? What you did? You think I’m just going to let that slide?”
He shrugged, leaning casually against the door frame. “Depends on what you think I did.”
Oh,fuckhim.
I sniffed a laugh, letting his words settle before rounding my desk, reaching him in three wide strides and towering over him. My finger plunged into his chest as my other gripped his shoulder. “You took the trust of this company, the trust of a client, and you smashed it into thefuckingground. Do you have any idea what that did to her? What it did to me? To this whole operation?”
Jamie’s smirk faltered, just slightly, so I pressed the advantage.
“I built this company because people like you exist. Because people like my s—“ I choked on her name. Wondered if I always would.
I cleared my throat. “—you know damn well that millions of people aren’t protected. And you had theaudacity to waltz in here, knowing how we started, wearing our badge, and chose to ruin someone’s life.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off.
“You should be behind bars,” I snapped, shaking his shoulder. “And the only reason you’re not isbecause the girl you hurt is too strong to let you ruin her any more than you already have. You’re a disgrace to everything we stand for. And you’re done.”
Finally, the smirk was gone. Jamie straightened, his expression hardening, buthe didn’t say a word. Like, behind the facade that he was keeping up for whatever reason, he knew that what he’d done was wrong. But admitting that might kill him.
Ruinhim.
“Get the hell out of my office,” I spat, my voice low, dripping with anger,shoving his chest as he stumbled back.
For a second, I thought he might push back, but something flickered across his face. When I thought I could name it he was already turning on his heels andwalking out, without another word. The door closed behind him, and the tension in the room lingered like smoke after a fire.
