“You said dinner. Not fucking interrogation.”
“Do you prefer directness?”
“That would be refreshing, actually,” Piper replied as his voice cracked.
The waiter returned with steak tartare and caviar. Jayson waited until he left to continue the conversation.
“Fine. How attached are you becoming?”
Piper’s pulse picked up. He made himself sit very still.
“That is direct.”
“You asked for refreshing.”
Piper picked up his fork, then set it back down.
“You are assuming facts with no evidence.”
Jayson laughed softly. “That sentence alone is evidence.”
He paused before adding, “You have nothing to worry about, there is nothing going on.” Piper started to sweat a bit.
“Why were you at the Four Seasons?”
“You said you were not accusing me,” Piper replied.
Jayson lifted his wine glass. “I am measuring risk. The new contract language is very clear. No relationship with Noah Reyes. No contact outside team functions. No private communication. The morality clause now names him specifically. Break it, and the entire deal dissolves. Ten million extra a year gone. All my connections are gone and effectively your image is gone.”
Piper’s body froze.
“I am not a hedge fund. I have not signed the amendment.”
“No. You are more volatile.”
Piper forced his shoulders loose.
“You do not own me.”
“Interesting choice of phrase. Piper, I can destroy you,” Jayson said softly.
“I know.” Piper sat in it for a minute.
The pause stretched.
“I didn’t bring you here to argue over language. I brought you here because I don’t like surprises.”
“I built my career around removing them.”
“I built your career around removing them.”
Piper looked away toward the window. He hated that the line worked. He hated that he was still sitting here.
“You are excellent when you are focused. You become careless when emotionally triggered. I have built too much around the first version of you to indulge the second.”
“You think Noah is a distraction.”
“I think Noah is visible.”
