He turns and paces a few steps, then swings back around. “And then… what? Then they wrote this clause in? Or was it already there?” He runs both hands through his hair, clearly spiraling. “But then they’re also doing this?”
This?
I shrug helplessly. “I… I don’t know.”
But he’s already muttering again. Because clearly, there are dots in his head that he’s connecting. Ones I’m unaware of.
“…the fucking clause.”
“…Cece. The merger would expose…”
Then he lets out a bitter laugh—clipped and humorless. “They just, they keep interfering. Every time I think I’ve gotten somewhere, they—dammit!”
I watch him pace back and forth. His hand on his chin as he moves. I’ve seen him angry before, but this is different. He isn’t exactly panicking. But probably processing years of manipulation all at once.
“You should get rid of it,” I blurt. “The clause. You’ll need legal counsel and a cleanup strategy but—”
“Fuck yes, I need to get rid of the clause!” he grits out. “Christ!” His hands clench in his hair again, likehe’s trying to hold his brain in place before it explodes.
“Levi,” I whisper, taking a cautious step forward.
He doesn’t hear me. He’s still muttering under his breath. Still pacing slightly. “…the clause… Cece’s reputation… they’re doing it again… shit… they don’t want me to take over…”
“Levi,” I try again, louder this time, closing the gap between us.
“…then why…”
Still, he doesn’t look at me. He’s not looking at anything, really—eyes glazed, jaw tight. Mind probably running a mile a minute.
So I reach out gently, place my hands on his shoulders. “Levi,” I whisper.
He’s tense. His frame is rigid.
For a split second, his gaze snaps to mine. It’s wild yet controlled. But entirely elsewhere.
And then—
TWELVE POINT FIVE
Sebastian
SOMEWHERE IN NEW YORK: Blackthorn Security Tower
I knock on the table, finally pulling her attention away from her laptop.
The command center is quiet. I can’t remember the last time it wasn’t buzzing with alerts and mission noise. I don’t miss those days.
“What?” she mumbles, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
“Go home to your husband and kid, Amelia,” I chuckle. “It’s almost one.”
She snorts. “Dahlia’s with Logan. And you sent my husband away on an assignment, remember?”
Ah. Shit. Right. I did do that.
“Well,” I say, sliding into the seat beside her, “now’s a good time to dig into something else, then.The cyber team two floors down got a new assignment a few weeks back. Thought you might want a look.”
“The tier three team?” Her brows furrow. “Why? Those are low-tier projects. Something happened?” She’s already logging into the system, pulling up the files.
