Chapter 3 Dangerous Person Eric

The next morning, Kaia stepped out of the Wall Street subway station.

Dark circles bruised the skin under her eyes. She blended into the sea of rushing, gray-suited professionals.

She walked into the towering glass headquarters of Vantage Group and swiped her badge at the silver security turnstiles.

The moment she sat at her cubicle, a massive, heavy client file slammed onto her desk.

Her coworker, Leo Foster, leaned in close.

"Good luck tonight," Leo whispered, his eyes darting around nervously. "Eric Donovan is the client. The guy is a known predator. "

Kaia opened the file. Eric Donovan's greasy, smiling corporate headshot stared back at her.

Her stomach twisted into a tight knot.

She stood up and marched to her director's office. She begged to be swapped off the account.

The director didn't even look up from his monitor. "Close the deal, Kaia, or kiss your year-end bonus goodbye. We don't pay you to be comfortable."

Kaia walked back to her desk. She opened her banking app.

The red numbers glared at her. She needed that bonus to survive.

She pulled open her bottom drawer and took out an old, cracked backup phone she kept for emergencies. The screen suddenly lit up, and the device buzzed violently against the wood.

An unknown number flashed on the screen.

I'm giving you three days to cool off. Then you're coming home. - K

Kaia stared at the arrogant text. Her jaw clenched so tight her teeth ached.

She blocked the number and shoved the phone into her drawer.

She spent the next six hours memorizing every financial loophole in Eric Donovan's company.

At five o'clock, Kaia went to the employee restroom.

She changed into a severe, high-necked black blouse and a thick pencil skirt. She buttoned it all the way to her collarbone.

She stared at her pale, exhausted face in the mirror. She splashed freezing water on her cheeks until they stung.

She applied a sharp, aggressive slash of red lipstick. She locked her emotions behind a blank mask.

Kaia took the elevator down and walked two blocks to the upscale French restaurant.

The hostess led her up a velvet-lined staircase and pushed open the heavy mahogany door of a private dining room.

Eric Donovan sat at the head of the table. He was smoking a thick cigar.

His eyes immediately dropped to her chest, then slowly dragged down to her legs. The look made Kaia's skin crawl with physical revulsion.

She forced a tight, professional smile and extended her hand. "Mr. Donovan. I'm Kaia Gibbs from Vantage Group."

Eric grabbed her hand. His thumb intentionally stroked the bare skin of her knuckles.

Kaia yanked her hand back instantly.

She pulled out the chair furthest away from him and sat down.

She opened her tablet. "If we look at the Q3 margins-"

"Relax, Kaia," Eric interrupted. He snapped his fingers at the waiter. "Pour the Bordeaux."

Eric leaned forward, resting his heavy arms on the table. "If you make me happy tonight, I'll sign the Vantage contract tomorrow morning."

Kaia kept her smile frozen in place. "The contract terms are highly favorable to your bottom line, Mr. Donovan. Let's focus on the numbers."

Eric's fake smile vanished. A dark, predatory glint appeared in his eyes.

He intentionally knocked a stack of printed spreadsheets off the table. The papers scattered across the carpet.

"Pick those up for me," Eric commanded. His voice was thick with implication.

Kaia did not move. She sat perfectly still in her chair, staring at him with dead eyes.

The temperature in the private room plummeted. The silence was suffocating.

Eric's face turned red. He opened his mouth to shout.

Suddenly, heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway.

The heavy mahogany door was violently shoved open from the outside.

A blast of cold air swept into the suffocating room.