the visitors seemed a little in awe of Dane. It wasn’t unusual. In matters of business, he was brilliant. He was a master at getting to the heart of an issue. When seeking a solution, he never gave up and moved on. No, he rose to every challenge and pushed his goals forward.
What others would think of as a pipe dream he’d make a reality in a few precise, well-executed moves—overcoming any obstacles or setbacks. He was also hell-on-wheels in the boardroom. His reputation as someone who couldn’t be pushed around by competitors was well-earned.
All things considered, I’d expected for it to feel as though the meeting lasted forever, but the time flew by. Soon, people were shaking hands and saying their goodbyes.
Owen gave me another smile. “It was real good seeing you again, Vee.”
“Same to you,” I lied.
Once we were alone, Dane pinned me with those steely eyes. “How well do you know Owen? There’s more to it than you two being childhood friends. He made you uncomfortable. Why?”
Ugh. “We were engaged for five months when we were teenagers. It was a little awkward to see him again after all this time, that’s all. Not that I’d expect you to understand, Mr. Dauntless. Has anyone ever made you feel uncomfortable?”
“No.” He grabbed the door handle. “You and I need to talk later.”
“Sounds ominous. Are you going to fire me?”
“Is there a reason I should fire you?”
A memory of me earlier flipping off his brother flashed in my mind. “Probably.”
The corner of his mouth almost twitched. “Your job is safe. For now.”
Chapter Two
Later that day, I parked in the lot outside my apartment building and switched off the engine. It wasn’t a very well-lit parking area, so I was glad that dusk hadn’t yet completely fallen. There were many times I’d needed to stay late at the office to help Dane with one thing or another, so I often didn’t make it home until it was super dark.
Slipping out of my car, I locked it with the remote fob and then dug the can of pepper spray out of my bag. It was only a short walk to my building, but a girl could never be too careful.
Crossing the crack-ridden pavement, I glanced around. There was no one hovering about. All I could hear were my heels clacking on the ground and the sounds of street traffic.
Reaching the footpath that led to the main entrance, I neatly sidestepped the cans, wrappers, and crinkled flyers that littered the ground near the overflowing trash can.
I could afford to live in a nicer neighborhood, I just preferred being near my family. Especially my father, Simon.
Inside the building, I took the elevator up to my floor and headed into my apartment. There, I tossed my coat on the back of the armchair and slipped off my shoes. After changing into my sweats, I shuffled into the kitchen and sighed at the sound of raised voices coming from next door. The walls of my apartment were annoyingly thin, so it was unfortunate that I had neighbors who screamed at each other loud enough to wake the dead.
They were actually super nice people. Ashley was a hoot and had become a close friend. Her boyfriend, Tucker, was one big teddy bear who was impossible to dislike. But when they argued, they argued. Ashley would always storm out, and she’d always come knocking on my door to complain about whatever he’d done.
At least the argument hadn’t started until after I’d finished my bath. I’d needed the quiet time to wind down and relax before dinner.
Too tired to cook, I dug a microwavable mac and cheese meal out of the freezer. It might not be terribly healthy, but the meal would suit me just fine.
As I closed the freezer door, I almost knocked down one of the drawings I’d attached to it with magnets. I gently skimmed my fingers over the sheet of paper. There were five stick figures beneath which Freddie had written the names Maggie, Simon, Freddie, Vienna, and Deacon in his childish scrawl. The first four figures stood together, but the fifth stood alone—Deacon always did.
My heart squeezed. I wished I could do more to help them, particularly Simon, but I didn’t have that power. And I damn well hated that.
Once my meal was ready, I sat at my small dining table and dug into my mac and cheese. My neighbors, sadly, continued to row. And said row got louder and louder.