His habitat.
“Then it’s settled,” Banner says, offering me a strained smile before he steps in Orion’s direction. “You’ll give Dr. Holbrook what she needs.”
“And then some,” Orion states smugly, offensively, before he levels Banner with a fixed look. “So I’ll expect my terms to be met. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I’m late getting to my observatory.”
I pull the strap of my briefcase onto my shoulder. “I appreciate your cooperation, Dr. Night.”
Orion’s eyes clash with mine, a gravity there that threatens to pull me in as his gaze heats, staring at me with such intensity I forget how to breathe. Then he storms from the room, his helmet tucked beneath one arm.
A breath rushes past my lips, and Banner mistakes my reaction for one of relief.
“His observatory,” he mutters derisively. “I assure you, Dr. Night is brilliant despite his eccentricities. He won’t be as difficult with you.”
I arch an eyebrow. “If you’d like for me to believe that, then you won’t mind being completely transparent about my real purpose here, Dr. Banner.”
A tight frown brackets his mouth. “You have to understand, this is a delicate situation.”
Where money is concerned, it’s always delicate.
The “incident” transpired during an experimental test, when the observatory’s unpatented particle accelerator became unstable. Another astrophysicist, a Dr. Eugene Prescott, attempted to shut down the instrument, falling from the observation platform after a fight escalated between the two.
Dr. Prescott didn’t suffer any injuries, unless his wounded pride counts. I should’ve been hired to help mediate, but navigating the legalities of the altercation wasn’t actually that difficult, seeing as HR closed the case last week. Counseling was noted as a recommendation—not a mandatory requirement.
Proving there’s another agenda here.
Anxious, Banner runs a hand down his tie. “Dr. Night is brilliant, there’s no question, and what he’s done for the university…” He trails off with a defeated sigh. “Years spent working in solitude, under the extreme pressure from our field can strain the most brilliant mind.” He glances around before lowering his voice. “I’ve known Dr. Night for his whole academic career,” he continues, a sadness filling his eyes. “And in that time, he’s suffered a few setbacks. I just think…I consider him my friend, Dr. Holbrook.”
I nod, sympathetic. “Of course. You want to make sure he’s receiving the care you feel he needs.”
“Exactly.” His smile is thoughtful. “With the Solar Eclipse Observer Symposium less than three months away, everything needs to run smoothly. Our donors expect to see results from Orion’s research. And let’s just say, he has a history of being difficult where investors are concerned.”
And there’s the optics problem. Dr. Banner may care about his friend, may even want to genuinely help him, but he won’t allow Orion to jeopardize his institute’s funding.
“Let’s go ahead and get you settled, shall we?” Banner offers. “I’d like for you to meet Dr. Prescott soon. His research is also quite remarkable, and he has some fantastic marketing ideas for the symposium. I think you’re going to be very pleased with what Stonehurst has to offer, Dr. Holbrook.” He beamswith pride, and a wariness slithers into the pit of my stomach.
Brows pinched, I study Banner’s guarded body language, his forced smile, and a hot blade of realization slashes through me. Banner may want to help his brightest star to continue to shine, but in the event that fails, he already has a replacement ready to step in.
With a beckoning sweep of his hand, he leads the way out of the lecture hall. I follow slowly behind, pausing in the corridor to watch my target escape in the opposite direction, his stunning silhouette slipping farther away until he’s swallowed by the shadows.
The desperate desire to chase after him thrums through my veins.
Like one of the brightest constellations in the sky, Orion is a shining star in his field. The one everyone orbits around, and where all the strings on my murder board connect.
The killer I’ve been searching for.
The hunter.
It’s taken months to locate him, and to even get this close, I’ve had to walk away from the safe and secure life I carefully constructed for myself.
I had to sever my connections to everything, everyone.
The law of proximity states that we’re more likely to develop relationships with people within our vicinity. We connect and form friendships with those physically closest to us—classmates, colleagues, co-workers. But simply being in Orion’s vicinity is not enough.
I need him to trust me completely. And there is no relationship that fosters more trust than one intimate in nature.
Yet that can’t happen if he’s removed from my reach.
I catch up to Banner, matching his brisk pace. “What terms has Dr. Night stipulated?” I ask, recalling their tense conversation.
