Conflict of Interest - By Allyson Lindt Page 0,31

she felt. “No, I am. You shouldn’t have invited me tonight. I’ve cost you what you hired me to save. And I don’t even, I just—”

“Stop.” He cut her off, tone kind. “No you didn’t, and it’s not your fault. Never apologize because someone else can’t control themselves.”

She felt some of the stress drain from her shoulders as the wine worked its way through her. “But…”

He stabbed a mushroom and chewed thoughtfully, swallowing before he replied. “The two of them have never gotten along. It’s times like this I wish we’d known that before we took Hank’s money.”

Kenzie frowned, but didn’t argue. She knew how things worked in business.

“We’ve got a developer he likes.” Zach leaned back, hands clasped and resting on the edge of the table. “The kid’s a savant, and Cartee is forever trying to hire him away. We’ll send him to California to play nice, they’ll probably drop way more of our money than they should in tittie bars, and things will be back to a level three hostile instead of level one by next week.”

Frustration and tears threatened, and she bit them back as exhaustion trickled in. Sometimes she really hated playing in what men saw as their world. “I see.”

Zach’s expression softened. “I really am genuinely sorry, and I wouldn’t blame you if you dropped us. Hank’s an ass, but I didn’t expect this. Still, you’re doing good things for Scott, I can tell, so I’ll ask you to stay and leave the rest up to you.”

He meant quit. She hadn’t even considered it. But it sounded more tempting than it should. She needed to get away from this environment. It was screwing with her head in ways she’d never dealt with before. Not being able to keep her hands off a client? She knew better than that. She’d never even been tempted before. So why did the thought of walking away make her a little ill? Or maybe that was just the ebbing adrenaline settling in her gut.

She gave him a tired smile. “I honestly don’t know. Give me the weekend to think about it?”

The corner of Zach’s mouth pulled down, but he nodded. “Of course.”

Chapter 9

Kenzie’s front door pushed back when she tried to open it, and she had to lean into it to get inside. She sighed at the sight of her sister’s suitcases filling half the living room.

“Riley.” Her tired voice carried through the apartment. She didn’t need this tonight. Her brain was already fractured after dinner.

Her twin stuck her head out from the bathroom, a streak of bright pink running through her pale hair. “Hey. I thought you’d be out a lot longer.”

“Why does my living room look like a refugee camp?” Kenzie didn’t want to deal with this right now. Riley went through roommates and boyfriends—frequently the same thing in her case—like most people went through a large canister of sprouted wheat cereal. With hardcore enthusiasm at first, and then tossing it out after six months only half finished. Still, she had sworn there was something special this time and insisted that as soon as they made up, she’d be back in his arms and apartment again.

“Hang on.” Riley ducked back into the bathroom.

Kenzie pushed aside a duffel bag and sank onto the couch while she listened to the shower run.

About ten minutes later, Riley was perched on the edge of the chair next to her, not bothering to move the box occupying the rest of it. “What’s up?”

Kenzie nodded around the room. “Why is all of your crap violating my living room? I thought you were making up with Archer.”

Riley shrugged and twirled a strand of damp, violently pink hair around her finger. She still hadn’t specifically said what had happened between them. “It’s just a rough patch. Once he misses me enough, we’ll be fine again.”

Kenzie wanted to scold her for the color in her hair—Riley’s boss was going to hate that—or for the mess, or something, but she couldn’t find it in her. She had decisions to make, a future to consider, a lot of pondering about whether or not she was ever going to see Scott again. For work, of course. She stood, and bags toppled back in to fill her now vacant spot. “Whatever. Just, if you can, stack as much of it into the corner as will fit, please? I need to be able to move in here.”

Riley studied her for a moment, concern heavy in her blue eyes. “Are you all right?”

Kenzie