Nathan’s smile thinned. “Are you implying something, Holt?”
Damien’s reply was pure restrained fury. “I’m stating a fact. Cutting off a partner at the knees isn’t strategy, it’s fear.”
David cleared his throat, the sound too loud in the tension-thick air. Jennifer nudged his arm to silence him.
With the scene set and every player in position, I stepped back onto the stage.
“Gentlemen,” I said quickly, injecting a nervous tremor into the words. “Please, this isn’t—”
Nathan leaned forward, the predator instincts waking. “Let’s be honest about capacity, Ms.Sinclair. Falkirk could take this deal to any number of firms with more scalability and less risk.”
“And lose the one with the fastest adaptive algorithms on the market?” Damien shot back. “That’s not partnership—that’s arrogance.”
Heat coiled low in my stomach—every string pulled just right, the puppeteer behind the curtain.
I gave it three beats. One. Two. Three.
Then I softened my voice and leaned in, voice careful, measured, just this side of contrite. “Perhaps the issue isn’t about control at all. Maybe Elion could oversee just the integration phase—routing and analytics—while Falkirk retains final approval.” I offered a small, uncertain smile. “A temporary measure to prove our capability.”
Damien frowned instantly. “Temporary or not, Elion doesn’t need Falkirk’s oversight.”
“Yes, they do.” Nathan’s voice oozed condescension. “At least until she can be instructed…” He let the word linger, poisonous and smug. “In how to handle herself in big business.”
Jennifer’s head jerked up, disgust flashing before she caught herself. Tessa muttered something that sounded a lot likeunbelievable.
Damien’s expression turned deadly, the kind of look that could silence a room. But I stepped in before real blood could be drawn.
“Perhaps,” I said gently, feigning humility. “Elion could oversee routing and analytics for six weeks. A trial. Under Falkirk’s approval.”
Maria’s eyes lifted to meet mine. Understanding flickered there—quiet, sharp, approving.
I glanced at Nathan, wide-eyed, giving him my best impression of a woman far in over her head. “Do you think that’s something you’d be able to help with?” I asked, shifting my attention between the two of them.
Damien shot me a bewildered look, clearly off-balance. This wasn’t what we’d discussed. It wasn’t part of the plan we’d built together.
“Of course,” Nathan said, smugness curling around every syllable as he sat back in his chair, king of his tiny kingdom.
“Can you get me on my feet in sixty days?” I pressed.
He scoffed, amused.
“I mean,” I continued, widening my eyes a fraction, “you have so much experience. I don’t think it would take you very long.”
“He’s still learning himself,” Damien cut in, tone sharp, protective. “I’m sure there are others much more qualified—”
“I’ll do it in thirty,” Nathan snapped, his glare slicing toward Damien like a blade.
A silence followed. Kevin’s brows rose slightly. Jennifer’s lips parted as if to speak but thought better of it. Maria sat back, arms folded, hiding a ghost of a smile.
The sound of victory hummed in my veins.
As electric as the tension I’d manufactured in this room.
“Okay,” I said sweetly, tilting my head just so. “Then we’re in agreement? Elion will gain approval from Falkirk for thirty days… then we’re on our own to sink or swim.”
Damien opened his mouth, still searching for footing, but Nathan got there first. “That works for us,” he said, settling back, already celebrating his imagined triumph.
“Wonderful.” I smiled, the picture of grace, while satisfaction bloomed warm and wicked beneath my ribs. “I’ll have my team draft the outline by Monday.”
