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John’s eyes sharpened. “Both, if you’re smart. I pointed out the messier entries for your father. Greg scrubbed them clean. He will be on the guest list for tomorrow night.”

“Interesting.” I said.

John offered a thin smile. “Initiation talks.”

The pair approached us with the woman’s arm linked through Greg’s. He kept her close to his side, his attention moving over the room before settling on me. He stopped several feet away and extended his free hand.

“Mr. Kincaid,” he said. “Greg Sinclair. I’m sorry for your loss. Your father was a force.”

I accepted his hand and shook it once.

“Thank you. He was impossible to ignore.”

Greg released my hand and glanced toward the woman beside him. “This is my girlfriend, Marie.”

Marie offered me a polite smile. I let my attention rest on her longer than courtesy allowed.

“You have a gorgeous smile, Marie.”

Her eyes flicked toward Greg before returning to me. “Thank you.”

She was beautiful, but Greg’s reaction interested me more. Greg covered the hand she had resting on his arm. The movement was subtle, but the warning behind it was clear.

I smiled at him.

Perhaps Greg Sinclair would be interesting after all.

Samantha stepped forward smoothly. She offered Marie a gracious smile. “Wow you two are gorgeous. Are you twins?”

Marie laughed softly. “No. I’m two years younger.”

Mary scoffed playfully. “She loves to make me feel old.”

The women fell into easy polite conversation. Surface level condolences and comments on the turnout.

Greg and I stepped aside with John. I could feel Greg’s awareness of me. That coiled vigilance.

“You’ve been getting attention.” I said once we had a sliver of privacy. “Good attention. The Collective doesn’t hand that out lightly.”

Greg met my eyes directly. “I do what is needed. Your father valued that.”

“And what do you value?” I asked. I watched him carefully. “Opportunity? Or something more permanent?”

His gaze flicked once toward Marie. She laughed softly at something Samantha said. Then it returned to me. “Both have their place. I’m here if you need someone who can handle the ledgers or anything that falls outside them.”

John watched silently but approvingly. I let the silence stretch as I observed Greg. The Collective’s interest was one thing. My own was another.

He and John spoke briefly about the details of tomorrow’s meeting. Logistics. Expectations. The quiet work that kept everything running smoothly behind the scenes.

“Looking forward to tomorrow.” I said. “I hope you are as impressive as they say Greg.”

Greg met my eyes and gave a single nod. Then he walked away with John. The two men continued their conversation as they moved through the room.

Samantha walked over to me. “Are you sure you want to go tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“It might be a lot, being around your father’s friends so soon.”