“I think we got a bigger question right now.” Grayson was leaning on the bookcase, his arms folded. He was watching Reece with a completely inscrutable expression. “Like whether this is the part where I ask if you’re being a bad empath?”
“Depends,” Reece said lightly. “Are we making that porno after all?”
Grayson’s gaze flicked over him, almost like an automatic motion, like he couldn’t help himself.
“Because I could be really bad for you,” Reece said, just as light. “If that’s what you’re into.”
“You’re not going to get me to take that bait.” Grayson’s tone was as unreadable as his expression. “What are you doing?”
Reece had to stick to the absolute truth. The way Grayson was watching him, he’d see any tiny flinch. “I thought our secretary friend might have some useful information on Marist on this computer,” Reece said carefully. “No one thinks about the people further down the chain and the piles of dirt they have on their bosses.”
“That’s fair.” Grayson was still considering him. “How’d you get her to leave?”
“Told her about the drinks in the break room.”
“Oh yeah? And how’d you know that would make her leave?”
Reece swallowed. “Who doesn’t like coffee?”
The air between them was charged, almost tangible.This is what you want, Reece reminded himself.You want Grayson to be suspicious. You want him to know when you’re lying. You want him to catch you—tostopyou.
Didn’t he?
Grayson moved closer, up to the other side of the desk. He put his hands on the surface, leaning in to mirror Reece. “Sugar,” he said patiently, without the slightest inflection or change in his tone, and somehow it sent warning bells off in Reece’s brain all the same. “You haven’t forgotten who or what I am, have you?”
“No,sir, Agent Dead Man,” Reece said, with all the sass he could muster.
“Then I suggest you come clean,” Grayson said. “Because you might be adorable in a bear hat, but I told you, I’m not gonna underestimate you anymore. And I’m not gonna fall for your lies again.”
There was a moment of silence between them. Reece realized his fingers had balled into fists.
All flight, no fight.
He knew that was bullshit now.
Grayson’s blank hazel eyes were staring him down. It wouldn’t matter to him that they’d driven up to Canada together, bought clothes together, shared a hotel room and watched television together. That Grayson understood him better than anyone ever had, in all of Reece’s life. None of that mattered to Grayson at all.
But it mattered to Reece.
He closed his eyes. “I used insight to figure it out.”
Grayson somehow went even more silent. After a moment, Reece cracked open his eyes to find Grayson’s unreadable gaze on him.
“On purpose?” Grayson asked.
“I don’t know,” Reece said honestly. “I know I hate this company. Cedrick Stone was going to do terrible things to Jamey, and I watched him aim a gun at you. And I was thinking about that, and the next thing I knew, I was using insight to figure out how to get the secretary to leave so we could look at her computer.”
He hesitated, then said, “I don’t want you to underestimate me or fall for any lies. I don’t want to do this shit. I want you to stop me when you have to.”
“I know.” Grayson leaned forward, and they were just that little bit closer. “And I know you got the corruption pulling on you on one side, but you got me on the other. And as long as I’m here, I’m never gonna let you leave Care-A-Lot without a fight.”
Reece swallowed. “And you’re real good at winning fights,” he said, echoing Grayson from the morning, the words sticking just a little in his throat.
“I try.” Grayson held up a small, black rectangle. “And to your earlier question: I found this behind Marist’s group photo.”
“Flash drive?” Reece said, eyes widening.
Grayson nodded. “How about we take a look?”
