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I gawked at him. “You think we’re—we’re?—”
“Fucking? There’s no need to be coy, dear. You’re young, attractive, and inexperienced. Why else would Neil hire you?” He leered at me. “You’re his type too.”
I crossed my arms, partly in defiance, partly to shield myself from Daniel’s repulsive gaze. “We’re not?—”
“So you’re going to deny it, then? Suit yourself.”
I could protest all I wanted, but I knew he wouldn’t believe me.
Daniel leaned in across the table, close enough I could smell his stale breath. “Let me tell you something, Amelia Cross. Neil is nothing compared to me. I can offer you so much more. Join forces with me, and anything you desire could be yours.”
I shuddered. What exactly was he proposing? And what consequences would I face if I turned him down?
“Well?” he prompted.
“I don’t know you,” I spluttered. “I don’t want anything from you.”
He narrowed his eyes. “How can you be so sure? You haven’t even heard me out yet.”
The last thing I wanted to do was anger him. I’d have to play along for now. “What do you want me to do?”
Daniel sat back in his chair. “A simple arrangement. Keep an eye on Neil for me, report what he’s up to, including his liaisons with you and with anyone else. In return, I’ll pay you handsomely. Just name your price. What do you say?”
Suddenly, Neil’s former assertion that I could be a spy for Daniel was no longer outlandish. I let his offer sink in, mining it for all its ramifications. Based on what Neil had told me about Daniel, as well as my own misgivings, my answer was never going to be yes, but I hoped that stalling for time could defuse the situation somehow.
“I don’t have all day,” Daniel said, his laid-back facade turning prickly and tense.
I swallowed my fear and met his eyes. “There’s something I just don’t understand. Why do you want to know all that about Neil?”
Annoyance flickered across Daniel’s face. “Sorry, but you don’t get to ask questions. So what will it be? Are you in?”
Nothing I said now could lead to a positive outcome, no matter how carefully I picked my words. All I could think to do was to rebuff him as gently as possible. “Your offer is tempting, but to be honest, I don’t see how I can be much use to you.” I kept my voice steady despite the fear bubbling beneath the surface. “I’m just Neil’s employee. I don’t know much about what he gets up to privately.”
Daniel scoffed. “He must have you wrapped around his little finger. Well, guess what, dear. If you think he cares about you, you’re sorely mistaken. I know the man far better than you ever will, and he won’t hesitate to throw you to the wolves when the time comes. If you know what’s good for you?—”
A sudden loud bang at the door shattered the oppressive atmosphere and injected a surge of hope in my chest. Another bang. Urgent, frantic. Someone desperate to get in.
Daniel sighed through gritted teeth, rolling his eyes. “Let him in.”
His henchman opened the door. Neil burst in with raw fury burning in his eyes. He marched straight up to Daniel like he was about to throttle him. He was a sight to behold. “What do you think you’re playing at?” he spat.
“Oh dear me.” Daniel re-adopted a mocking tone. “Are you upset to find me alone with your woman? It’s unlike you to lose control of your emotions.”
“Whatever problem you have with me, leave her out of it. She has nothing to do with anything.”
Daniel sneered. “So you say.”
“You are not to lay so much as a finger on her. Do I make myself clear?”
Daniel held up his hands in surrender. “She’s all yours, my friend. I know you don’t like to share.”
“No, I don’t,” Neil said without a trace of irony. He turned to me. “Let’s go.”
I was still partly in shock from what was going on, but I managed to nod my head, then clamber to my feet. Neil grabbed hold of my sleeve and forcefully steered me to safety. His face was as hard as stone as we rode the lift down in silence. I wondered if he was mad at me for my reckless actions putting me in danger’s path. Had I undone all the progress we had made in our relationship through my sheer stupidity? I avoided his cold eyes, biting my lip in anxious anticipation of whatever punishment he had in store for me.
Once we stepped out, Neil pulled me into a deserted storage room and closed the door. In the confined space filled with boxes and shelves, his mask slipped away, revealing vulnerability. He grasped my shoulders. “Are you okay?”
I mustered a nod. “Yes. I’m okay.”
