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"You tell him . . . ," Tabitha repeated.
Nik leaned forward, placed his hands flat on the desk, and Mikayla almost giggled when he scowled down at the receptionist, causing her to jump back in fear.
"Holbrook. Now. Tell him Senator Stanton advises him it's in his best interests to speak to us." Pure male dominance transformed Nik.
It reflected on his face and in his voice.
Pure arrogance. A force of nature. It was going to kill Mikayla to lose him, but what she was learning from him she would never forget. Determination, arrogance. And how to navigate more anger than she could have imagined she would have to face. Nik used the senator's name, a calling card he'd debated leaving unused for this meeting. The senator had left a message on Nik's phone that morning that his name would get Nik in to see Holbrook if nothing else could.
Stanton was part of the founding Elite Ops organization. Though his participation wasn't known outside the secret group of agents, his power was still far-reaching. Nik was still glaring into Tabitha Holbrook's frightened gaze when the doors behind her pushed open.
Reed Holbrook's personal assistant, Arlene Dayton, was harried. Shoulder-length black and gray hair was disheveled, dark gray eyes filled with irritation as her overly red lipsticked lips were thinned and held an angry line.
Mrs. Dayton was a far cry from Alison Chenkins, Maddix Nelson's personal assistant. There was clearly no professionalism here, no business protocol.
"Mr. Steele." Arlene Dayton's tone was just as harried as her appearance. "Mr. Holbrook has a very tight schedule, but he can give you five minutes if you'll come with me."
Nik straightened and turned back to Mikayla, his hand reaching out for her. She didn't hesitate to take it. The move clenched his chest even as he fought against the reaction and resulting emotions rising inside him.
The personal assistant led them through another room and then to Reed Holbrook's office.
Opening the doors, she stepped aside as they entered.
Holbrook stood behind his desk, his craggy face and wide goateed beard giving a harsh appearance. There were none of the neat, conscientious appearances here, that was for damned sure.
"I'd offer you a drink," Holbrook sneered. "But I didn't exactly invite the two of you here."
"Oh, that's okay, Reed," Nik answered. "A drink wasn't really what I was after to begin with."
Nik placed himself just in front of Mikayla as Reed snarled back at them while they took seats in front of the desk.
"I don't fucking have time to deal with this," Reed bit out furiously as he threw 202
himself back into his seat.
"But you made time to meet with Eddie Foreman on a Nelson construction project the day he died. Now you can take time to discuss it with me." Reed rolled his eyes. "So what? Little fucker swore he'd make it worth my while. He didn't, so I left. So don't try pinning Nelson's actions on me. I didn't kill Eddie."
"How was he going to make it worth your while, Reed?" Nik asked with mocking curiosity. "What did Eddie have that he thought you would want?"
"He said he had some information, proof Nelson was using shoddy materials for a project. He wanted money for the proof, but he didn't have shit. I left." Nik arched a brow. "He just wanted money? Was he having any problems with Nelson?"
"Little fucker was always after money, just like h
e was always looking for an angle he could cheat someone with."
"You sound like you dealt with him a lot," Nik stated conversely, watching the cunning and temper that flashed in Reed's gaze.
"Enough," Reed answered. "But not nearly as much as you want to pin on me. Now, if this is all, I have a meeting to leave for."
Reed rose to his feet, glaring back at Nik as he and Mikayla rose to their feet.
"Tell me, Reed, do your business partners, your brothers, know that several of your projects are backed by a known criminal figure?"
Reed's smile was slow, a cold shark's smile that reflected pure triumph. "It was their idea, Mr. Steele." He turned to Mikayla then.
"Ms. Martin, ask yourself a question," Reed ordered as Nik stood back to allow Mikayla to move ahead of him.
"And that is?" she asked.
