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They took the elevator, a strange quiet falling between them. He and Rohan had always been able to talk about anything. Jamie’s illness. Losing their spouse and brother. Gray and the addition of another family. They’d been great friends before, but losing Jamie had bonded them in tragedy.
Suddenly, Wilder sensed a distance he hadn’t before.
He glanced at his best friend, who glanced back uncomfortably.
The elevator dinged, announcing their arrival on the third floor. Eager to see Abraham yet afraid to appear that way, he hung back and waited for Rohan to take the lead. Slowly, he sauntered out behind and traveled through the finance department—some place he rarely roamed. Employees looked up from the cubicles and watched wide-eyed as he passed.
Rohan paused before a desk. Wilder stopped to the right and glanced around his friend where Abraham sat up to his elbows in stacks of paper.
“Everything going well?” Rohan asked.
“I suppose you could say that,” Abraham answered. His gaze flipped toward Wilder, and suddenly his entire demeanor changed.
Not in a great way, either.
He tensed and looked away, as if ashamed.
Memories of their last moments together slammed into Wilder. He wanted more. Lots more. He wasn’t ashamed. Not in the least.
Gus Hardwick, the Director of Accounting, stumbled out of his office, his big, brutish body far less graceful than the man likely hoped. “Sir, Mr. Jaymes… what do we owe the… ah…pleasureof your appearance down on our floor today?”
“Just accompanying our chief counsel as he checks in with his nephew on our way to lunch,” Wilder replied, noting the man’s discomfort. He’d always had a dislike for Hardwick… had sensed something off when he’d spent a few weeks on the floor, learning the basics. His father had ensured he’d worked his way up from the mail room, educating him in every aspect he’d later control. While he’d jumped through his father’s hoops, he’d hated every second—it had felt as if he was being sent on a wild goose chase. Later, he’d appreciated it, when he had a working knowledge of what his supervisors and vice presidents discussed in their regular meetings.
Still, he’d sensed Hardwick was hiding something. Without stronger accounting knowledge, he’d been unable to unearth anything wrong.
“Oh—” Hardwick murmured, leaning to look around Rohan to Abraham. “I didn’t realize our newest recruit was a… member ofthe family.”
Wilder noted the clench of Hardwick’s teeth in the forced smile. “He is quite capable. Don’t you worry. Graduated near the top of his class atWaltyn & Marris.”
“Of course, of course,” Hardwick murmured, the forced smile growing wider and more toxic.
Suddenly worried for Abraham, Wilder swept into action. He gazed at Abraham and forced a smile of his own. “You’ll have to let me know how you’re doing down here the next time I see you.” He turned to eye Hardwick. “I look forward to a fullaccountingof how well you all work together.”
Hardwick’s smile faded some, much to Wilder’s delight.
Rohan apparently caught the tone in Wilder’s voice and lifted a questioning brow—but said nothing of it. He faced Abraham and grinned. “I’m headed out to lunch with Wilder. I shouldn’t be long. If you need anything, just call me on my cell.”
Wide-eyed and red-faced, Abraham nodded.“I’m fine.”
Wilder nodded to Abraham and then to Hardwick before following Rohan back to the elevator. As soon as they were inside, the question finally came from Rohan.
“What the hell was all that about?”
“I’ll tell you over lunch,” Wilder quipped, unease for Abraham still circling in his belly.
* * *
Wilder’s scentstill filled the space. Avery closed his eyes for a second, hoping no one caught the aroma of the bead of slick that had eased out of him upon seeing Wilder. His heart beat thickly in his chest, his body heated.
“I should’ve guessed you were one of them,” Hardwick grumbled to Avery. “I didn’t get the chance to have a say in who was hired, and now I know why.” He eyed Avery and sniffed. “Don’t think I’m going to kiss your arse and treat you any better than anyone else just because you’ve got a direct link to the Jaymeses.”
“I would never assume anything,” Avery replied, appreciating the splash of cold water his boss’s words provided. “I plan to do my work, and well, and that’s all.”
Hardwick harrumphed and marched back into his office.
“Well,thatwas interesting,” Melvin replied.
“What?”
