Chapter 4 4

The reception desk at Emerson International was a slab of black obsidian that looked more like an altar than a workspace. The receptionist, a woman whose bone structure seemed aerodynamic, didn't even look up from her screen.

"Mr. Emerson is not accepting walk-ins. Do you have an appointment?"

"No," Kate said, gripping her phone. Armond hadn't answered last night. "But it's urgent."

"Please leave your card."

Kate turned away, frustration clawing at her throat. She couldn't leave. She saw the private elevator lights ding. The doors slid open, and a man in a sharp grey suit stepped out, checking his tablet.

Sebastian. Armond's right hand. The man who had handed her the NDA five years ago.

Kate lunged across the lobby. "Seb!"

Security started to move, but Sebastian looked up. His eyes widened slightly behind his rimless glasses. He held up a hand to halt the guards.

"Ms. Silva," Sebastian said, his voice neutral. "You shouldn't be here."

"I need five minutes," Kate pleaded. "Please."

"The boss is... in a mood. And you know the rules. No contact."

"Tell him it's about the watch," Kate whispered, leaning in. "Tell him I'm here to settle the debt for 'V'."

Sebastian stiffened. He looked at her, really looked at her, seeing the desperation in her eyes. He tapped his earpiece. "Sir? She's here... Yes. She mentioned the watch." A pause. "Understood."

He looked at Kate. "You have five minutes. Don't make me regret this."

The elevator ride was silent and suffocating. When the doors opened to the penthouse office, the temperature seemed to drop ten degrees.

Armond sat behind a desk that was large enough to land a plane on. He didn't look up from the documents he was signing.

"If you're here for a payout for last night's services, talk to legal," Armond said. His voice was a deep baritone that vibrated in Kate's chest.

The insult stung, but Kate swallowed her pride. It tasted like ash. She walked up to the desk.

"I don't want your money. I want protection. Lucas Sterling is destroying my gallery and physically attacking my family."

Armond finally looked up. His eyes were the color of steel, cold and impenetrable. "Why should I care about the fate of a small-time curator? Or Sterling? He's an insect."

"Because," Kate placed her hands on the desk, leaning forward, "you need a fiancée. The Board is jittery about the rumors of your instability. They think your OCD is getting worse. They want a family man."

Armond's eyes narrowed. "You've been listening to gossip."

"I've been doing my homework," Kate lied. Chloe had found the rumors on a deep-web forum. "You need a respectable, harmless image to close the merger with the Japanese tech firm. I can be that."

Armond stood up. He moved around the desk with the grace of a predator. He stopped inches from her. Kate forced herself not to flinch. He smelled of sandalwood and power.

He reached out, his fingers gripping her chin, tilting her face up. "You want to be my shield? Do you know what that entails?"

"It means I smile at your dinners, ignore your affairs, and deal with Evette Duncan trying to stab me in the back with a salad fork," Kate said, meeting his gaze.

"You have a sharp tongue," Armond murmured. His thumb brushed her lower lip, a touch that was possessive, not affectionate. "But how do I know you won't run away again? You seem to be good at disappearing when things get real."

"Draw up a contract," Kate said. "If I leave, you can put me in jail for corporate espionage. I'll sign anything."

Armond released her, turning to look out the floor-to-ceiling window. "Lucas Sterling..." he said the name like it was a foul taste. "He annoyed me at the gala."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a plastic card. He slid it across the polished wood of the conference table. It spun and stopped right in front of Kate.

"The Four Seasons. Penthouse Suite," Armond said, his back to her. "Wait for me there tonight. If you can prove you're... committed to this arrangement, I'll consider it."

Kate stared at the key card. It was a proposition. A test. A humiliation.

It was Leo's safety.

She picked up the card. It felt heavy. "Deal."

She walked out without looking back.

Armond watched her reflection in the glass. He didn't care about the Board. He owned the Board. But Kate Silva had run from him once, leaving a void he refused to acknowledge. Now, she was back in his trap.

Sebastian walked in. "Sir? Sterling is calling about the acquisition."

"Ignore him," Armond said. "But keep an eye on him. I want to see just how desperate she is."