I sit up straighter, suddenly very awake. “Dr. Van Veen. Not at all, I?—”
“I won’t keep you long.” She cuts through my fumbling with surgical efficiency. “I wanted to extend an invitation, a private tour of our facilities here at Global Dynamix. I thought it might be useful for your profile piece—give you some context on how we operate, what we’re working toward in the future.” She pauses. “Beyond the public-facing spectacle.”
My instincts prickle the back of my neck. Julia Van Veen doesn’t do anything without a reason, and this invitation makes me suspicious. It’s going to be highly sanitized, that’s for sure, but I’m not about to turn down the opportunity.
“That’s very generous of you,” I say carefully. “I’d love to see more of the operation.”
“Wonderful. Shall we say, eleven o’clock? I’ll have someone meet you in the lobby.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Oh, and Miss Baxter?” Her voice drops a degree, turning frosty. “I trust you had a pleasant evening last night after you left the gala.”
My stomach clenches.Oh no. Don’t tell me she knows.
“It was fine,” I manage. “Just went back to the hotel.”
“Good. I do so value a quiet night in.” Another pause, loaded with implication. “I’ll see you soon.”
She hangs up.
I stare at the phone, my heart thudding against my ribs. Yeah, that wasn’t just an invitation. That was a summons. I havea feeling she knows exactly what went on last night (at this point, who doesn’t?), and I’m about to get yet another lecture about boundaries.
Professional. Cold. Operative.
I’m still repeating it like a mantra when my mobile buzzes.
This time, I recognize the number. My pulse ratches up a notch.
“Hello?”
“Hey.” Vanguard’s voice is rough, like he hasn’t slept. Like he’s been up all night thinking about…
“Hey,” I say, aiming for neutral and landing somewhere around breathless.
A beat of silence. “I went back for you last night. You were gone.”
“Oh. Yeah. I found my own way down.” I keep my voice light, casual, no biggie. “Some people were having a party up there. I hitched a ride on the elevator.”
“I looked for you. At your hotel.”
I see.
I picture him hovering outside my window, searching for me. The thought should be unnerving, but it just makes my thighs press together. Being stalked by a superhero? Don’t mind if I do.
“I got back late,” I say, which isn’t technically a lie. “We must have just missed each other.” Last thing he needs to know is where I went after. I think I need to start being more careful.
Another silence, heavier this time. I can hear him breathing, can almostfeelthe weight of everything unsaid pressing through the phone.
“Mia.” His voice is softer now, careful. “About last night?—”
“We don’t have to talk about it.”
“I think we do.”
“I really think we don’t.” I close my eyes, steeling myself.Professional. Cold. Operative.“It was a moment. It happened. It doesn’t have to be a thing.”
The silence that follows is so long, I check the signal bars to make sure the call hasn’t dropped.
