Her expression remained neutral. "As I mentioned in my interview, I value environments where competence is rewarded."
"There's more to it than that." I circled my desk, coming to stand before her. "You had other offers."
A flicker of surprise crossed her face at the mention of other offers—something she hadn't expected me to know. Of course, I knew. I'd had her investigated thoroughly from the moment she left my office last week.
"How do you—" She stopped herself, regaining composure. "That information was confidential."
"Very little stays confidential from me, Ms. Quinn."
"You've been checking up on me," she said, voice even.
"I check up on everyone in my orbit, Ms. Quinn. Standard procedure."
"And what else did your investigation reveal?"
I leaned against my desk, arms crossed. "That you're intensely private. No social media presence. Minimal digital footprint. Youmoved to New York from Miami three years ago. Before that, Chicago. Boston before that."
She held my gaze, unflinching. "Is geographical mobility a concern?"
"Depends on the reason for it."
"Career advancement. The same reason most people relocate."
Not entirely true. There were gaps in her history—periods where she seemed to vanish completely.
"Your apartment in Brooklyn," I continued. "Modest. You could afford better with your qualifications."
"I prefer to save rather than spend. Is my financial prudence relevant to my job performance?"
I studied her face—the slight defiance in her eyes, the tension around her mouth. "Everything about you is relevant if you work for me, Ms. Quinn."
CHAPTER 2
Isla
Everything about you is relevant if you work for me, Ms. Quinn.
His words hung in the air between us, heavy with implication. The way he studied me—like I was a puzzle with missing pieces—made my skin prickle with awareness. This wasn't just a boss evaluating an employee. This was a predator assessing prey.
I forced myself to maintain eye contact. "I understand the importance of transparency in professional relationships, Mr. Barone. But there's a difference between professional relevance and personal intrusion."
Something dangerous flickered in his eyes. "Not in my world."
My heart hammered against my ribs. I'd made a terrible mistake taking this job. Almost three years of careful planning, of building a life for Leo and me, threatened to collapse because I'd been desperate enough to walk straight into the lion's den—deliberately,knowingly, because I'd wanted my son to know his father. But I hadn't expected Cassian to look at me like this. Like he was already unraveling my secrets.
"Your world seems… complicated," I said carefully.
"It is." He moved closer, his expensive cologne wrapping around me. "Which is why I need to know exactly who I'm letting into it."
I needed this job. The salary was double what I'd make anywhere else, and Leo's medical expenses weren't going to pay themselves. The specialist appointments, the tests—they all cost money I didn't have.
"Ask what you need to know," I said, steeling myself. "I'll answer what's relevant."
His mouth curved into something not quite a smile. "You'll answer what I ask."
The room suddenly felt too small, the air too thin. I uncrossed and recrossed my legs, buying myself seconds to think.
"Your background check would have shown I'm qualified. Overqualified, actually." I kept my voice steady. "My references were impeccable. My skills match your requirements. What else matters?"
