Too hot, didn’t matter. I scrubbed hard enough for my skin to burn. Soap. Water. Soap again. My breathing slowly steadied. The rage didn’t disappear. It just changed shape.
I dried my hands carefully and pulled a new set of gloves back on.
Then I called Miles.
He answered on the second ring. "What’s happening?"
"I’m canceling the contract."
"You’re what?"
I winced slightly at his sharp tone.
"I want Tobias off the project immediately."
"Jace, do you have any idea how much money that’s going to cost us?"
"Yes."
"The board is going to lose their minds."
"I don’t care."
"You should care a little."
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Miles." Something in my voice made him stop talking.
A beat passed. Then his tone changed completely.
"What happened?"
"He hurt Anna."
"Jesus Christ."
I stared at the sink. "He’s hurt her in the past, and now he appeared in front of her again. I should have noticed the bastard in the meeting."
"That’s not your fault."
It felt like it. I should’ve seen it sooner. Should’ve noticed the way she’d gone quiet the second Tobias entered the room. Should’ve recognized fear faster than I did.
"I need everything you can find on him," I said. "Every complaint. Dig into his life and find anything we can get against him."
Miles exhaled slowly. "Alright. I’ll start making calls."
"I want something by morning."
"You’ll have it."
I hung up. The office suddenly felt too quiet. I walked toward Anna’s desk to check on her.
Empty. Her bag sat beside her chair, laptop still open, half-finished notes still on the screen. But she was gone.
Something in me went abruptly still.
I checked the break room first. Nothing. Then the balcony. Nothing.
I was halfway down the corridor when I noticed the stairwell door ajar. I stopped, then pushed it open carefully.
