Page 61 of Discretion at Its Finest

After staring at me for long enough, Reid finally broke eye contact, reaching for the folder on the table between us. “I have personal matters to attend to in the valley,” he said, flipping a page. “Handling the press there helps sell the narrative that things are stabilizing in the Newman Trust.”

“…Stabilizing how exactly?”

He didn’t even look up, just shrugged. “By giving them what they need to hear.”

“You said that before…” I muttered.

Finally he looked back up, placing the documents to the side as he tilted his head. His knee brushed mine again, barely, but enough to drag a tremor up my spine.

“Investors want reassurance. I’m giving it to them. They want a savior. I’m letting them believe they have one.”

I crossed my leg. His eyes immediately followed the gesture, his gaze lingering on my knee before his gaze returned to mine. “The last time we spoke about this, you also said you came back to burn the company down, take back what was yours.”

“That hasn’t changed. Revenge takes time, Vieve.”

“It also seems to take a trip across the country, dragging your brother’s fiancée as your plus one.”

A small smirk played at his lips, the silence dragging lightly as his ankle gently hit mine. Accidentally maybe, but I knew better. “My brother’s fiancée?” he repeated. “Yes. I know who you belong to on paper.” His eyes stayed on me a moment too long. “So why did you agree to come?”

“You didn’t exactly give me a choice, Reid.”

“But you’re not angry with the choice… not anymore…”

I sighed, “I just didn’t want to fight.”

“Not the answer I’m looking for,” he muttered, and I could only roll my eyes. “Try again,” he murmured.

I let out a slow breath. “Reid—”

“Something happened,” he said quietly. Dammit, he knew me too well. “Before the conference meeting yesterday. Before we boarded the jet. What was it?”

“Well your actions during said meeting didn’t exactly help my state of mind. You think that has anything to do with my behavior?”

“That was to distract you from whatever happened before you entered into the room. What happened, Genevieve?”

Nothing in his tone was cruel. It was simply inquisitive, knowing almost…

How do you explain to the man you love that the man you left him for isn’t the one for you? That he’s inadequate as a partner and as a father? All the things I knew, all the things he said to me before?

I looked away from him. “Nothing happened,” I muttered.

“That’s twice you’ve lied to me in under a minute.”

He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, closing the space between us.

“You know I know when you lie, Vieve,” he murmured. “Your throat tightens in the same way when you’re trying to hold back your tears.”

Heat crawled up my spine. “Stop analyzing me all the time,” I snapped. His eyes lingered, no answer forming between his lips as I shook my head. “I told you it’s nothing.”

“Is it Gregory?”

I glanced over to him, watching as he waited patiently for my reply. His voice had softened, causing that stupid warmth to spread through my chest.

“When isn’t it him…” I whispered, shaking my head with a sigh. “He didn’t come home the night of Eugene’s soccer game.” My fingers tightened around the arm rest.

“…And that’s something you’re used to already,” Reid replied, raising an eyebrow. “What else happened?” My throat tightened again. I hated that he saw it instantly. “Vieve,” he pressed, voice mix with worry and impatience.

My grip on the arm rest tightened, and I froze as his palm covered my hand, forcing it still.