“You kissed me.”
“So I deserved my punishment, is that it?” She clicks a few more buttons then leans back in my desk chair, evidently finished, her focus on me. “Don’t worry, Alex. I haven’t forgotten who I work for.”
“Me.”
“I said Ihaven’tforgotten. DeLuca made it perfectly clear. Your success is mine.”
“And my failure, too.” I wonder how that works. Whether Rita would lose a finger alongside me, when she’s not even agreed to join.
Or did she? Is that what she was doing in DeLuca’s office?
No, that doesn’t fit. The Company wants front-men, not assistants. And however accomplished Rita is, hers is a support role. Besides, she wasn’t at the house at Westchester. And she’s not married.
She gestures at the screen. “I just ensured you don’t fail.” Her head tilts. “Are you capable of saying, ‘thank you’?”
“Good catch,” I reply.
Her lips curl in amusement. A nice burgundy today, to match her nails. “What about, ‘I’m sorry’? That one in your range?”
I push myself up. “We should get to that meeting.”
“Oh, a step too far. Alas.”
DeLuca collars me in the hallway after the meeting with Wilson. “I assume those figures aren’t the best you’ve got?”
Rita smirks, but says nothing.
“They’re one version,” I reply.
DeLuca nods. “Maria enjoyed meeting Victoria on Friday. Between you both, you made quite the stir.”
He pointedly ignores the way Rita tenses, but at least he didn’t say ‘the three of you.’
“It was a surprise she made it,” I say lightly. “A miraculous recovery.”
“So it seems.” DeLuca regards me for a moment, expression neutral. “You’ve been summoned, Alexander. Fournier wants to meet with you.”
That’s not the sort of attention I want. “Did he say why?”
“He never says why, but it’s not unusual when someone joins the Company.”
“Did he at least say when?”
“This coming Saturday afternoon. At his estate, in Montana.”
I suppose there’s no getting out of it. “Very well.”
DeLuca’s hand lands heavily on my shoulder. “Make sure you take Victoria, hmm? Remember, Fournier puts a lot of stock in stability.”
I fight not to tense. “Of course,” I say, buying time. “But I wouldn’t want to presume, if she’s not namedon the invitation—”
“She is,” DeLuca says coldly. “I did warn you to keep your head down, but…” He shrugs, like I’m past saving, and walks off down the hallway.
Rita steps up beside me, her voice a murmur as she watches DeLuca turn the corner, out of sight. “Why do you keep provoking him by protecting that vapid investigator of yours?”
I say nothing, feeling the muscle in my jaw tighten, and release it with an effort.
Rita still notices, and laughs. “Oh no,” she says with mock concern. “Notmoretrouble in paradise?”
