“Cancel the meeting.” Dawn didn’t look at anyone else. She made the demand of Seth, her voice resonating with the fury building inside her. “You can’t afford to take this chance.”
“And if I hide now, then I may as well lock myself into a bunker and hide for the rest of my life.” Those sensual, seductive lips curled in disgust. “The meeting stands.”
“It’s two weeks,” she snapped. “How can you possibly expect us to cover you during the house party from hell, Seth?”
“I don’t, Dawn,” he admitted frankly. “The team is Jonas and Callan’s idea. I won’t back down. The board of directors to Lawrence Industries meets biannually to discuss the policies of the company as well as any other issues that come up. This year, a motion to dismiss the funding of Sanctuary is on the table by several of the older members. If we cancel the meeting, you can bet that funding will be placed on hold until the next meeting.”
Could Sanctuary do without that funding?
“Jonas, there’s no way to do this.” She glared back at the director of the Bureau of Breed Affairs. “Not one team alone, and not with the area laid out to defend against.” She waved her hand to the property that showed up on the viewing screen across the room.
“Lawrence Estate is reasonably secure—”
“It’s a security nightmare,” Dawn bit out.
Seth let a mocking smile curl his lips as he tilted his head in acknowledgment.
“Be that as it may, if I alter the location or the current plans, it will be a sign of weakness. If the Breeds’ enemies want to get rid of me, they’ll have to come to me. Jonas’s intel suggests they’ll make the attempt during this time. It’s our best chance to control the outcome and learn why they’ve decided the support of Lawrence Industries to the Breeds is a threat to them.”
“And it could be someone totally unrelated to the company that just doesn’t want you supporting Sanctuary,” Dawn argued.
Seth shook his head. “This is about someone within Lawrence Industries or close to it. Someone who believes they can take control if they can kill me.”
“And you’re playing right into their hands,” she snapped.
“Enough.” Callan’s voice was calm, but the warning edge to it wasn’t lost on Dawn. It wasn’t lost, but it
was ignored.
“Cancel the meeting, Seth.”
He pursed his lips and watched her for a few moments, his long, powerful fingers tapping silently against the table before he slowly shook his head. “Canceling the meeting will only allow my assassins to catch me by surprise. If I’m going to die, Dawn, I’m going to face my murderers.” He turned to Jonas then.
“But she won’t be part of the operation. Choose someone else or the deal is off.”
He rose to his feet as though it were a board meeting. As though he could decide whether she was there or not.
“Choose someone else and I’ll shoot him myself,” Dawn snarled, jumping to her feet and slapping her palms against the table as she glared back at Seth. “What’s wrong with me heading this operation?”
He tilted his head and stared back at her as he buttoned his jacket casually, his movements unconsciously graceful.
“You’re a woman,” he stated. “This isn’t a mission I want a woman involved in.”
“Well isn’t that just too bad for you, sweetcheeks.” She threw her hip to the side, propped her hand on it and regarded him with mocking sweetness as she wrinkled her nose back at him insultingly. “If you’re insane enough to go through with your own execution, then I want to at least watch. I haven’t seen a good comedy flick in a while.”
His eyes narrowed back at her.
“Dawn, sit down,” Callan ordered.
“When he does.”
“As far as I’m concerned, this meeting is over.” Seth turned to Jonas. “When you have the proper team formed, let me know.”
“Callan, have an enforcer collect my travel bag, I’ll be heading out with Mr. Lawrence.”
She was insane, that was all there was to it. Where the hell were these words coming from? Shooting out of her mouth as though she somehow controlled the situation. No one spoke. Dawn could feel the tension building in the room as all eyes settled on her and Seth.
“You will not—”