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Five minutes later, Leif knocks on my door, and we leave to meet the guests.

Once I’m with Leif, I make it my sole mission in life to put as much distance between Knox and me as humanly possible.

Unfortunately, luck isn’t on my side today.

Not even an hour after asking Leif to shadow me, I spot Knox at the end of the east corridor, looking around for something.

Fuck!

I immediately grab Leif and duck into the first open door before Knox can see us.

“—and as you can see on slide fourteen, the tax shelter advantages of a charitable remainder unitrust are substantial,” a presenter says to a room of five guests.

Leif slips into the chair next to mine and leans over. “Do you need to be in here?”

“Yes,” I lie. “It’s a super important conference on…” I turn to my left to check the presentation banner and—Dear God… “The Tax Structure & Philanthropic Annuity Briefing.”

Shit.

Of all twenty seminars running this week, I managed to walk into the one subject I can’t stand.

Math and taxes.

Blegh…

Kill me now.

“Okay,” Leif nods, settling in to pay attention… for the next forty fucking minutes.

Ahhh!

This thing is never going to end.

I weep on the inside, fighting with everything I have not to yawn.

“Mr. Harrington-Hale,” the speaker says enthusiastically. “We are honored by your presence. Given your family’s international holdings, what is your personal stance on leveraging these offshore tax structures?”

The what?! I panic internally.

“Oh, there’s really no need.” I smile, giving him a thumbs up. “You’re doing a phenomenal job.”

“Thank you, sir.” The speaker gestures toward me. “But please, just a few words.”

I smile as the entire room stares at me.

Yeah… there’s no getting out of this.

Fuck!

I stand up slowly, having no idea what any of the numbers on the screen mean, and launch into a “tax” monologue mixing a scene from The Shawshank Redemption with a little bit of Meet Joe Black and freaking Rain Man.

“For there is only one ultimate truth in this world: you can’t escape death and taxes,” I say, finishing my epic speech.

The speaker blinks at me, looking as confused as I was by his presentation.

Okay… time to leave.

I turn to Leif and gasp. “What?! An emergency right now?”