Page 52 of Executive Privilege

"Am I? Because I've never seen Nicholas respond to anyone the way he responds to you. I've never seen him bring anyone coffee or get genuinely excited about collaborative work."

The words hurt because they're true. Nicholas did all those things. He also accused me of lying when his trust issues got triggered.

"People are complicated, Frankie. Sometimes what looks like caring is just professional appreciation."

My phone buzzes with a text from an unknown number: "This is Victoria Sterling. We need to talk."

My blood turns to ice. Victoria Sterling. The woman who hurt Nicholas so badly he can't trust anyone who gets close to him. The reason he lives in a hotel and builds walls around his personal life.

And she wants to talk to me.

My hands shake as I type back: "How did you get this number?"

"That's not important. What's important is that I know you're involved with Nicholas Blackwood, and there are things you need to understand about him before you get in too deep."

"I'm not interested in anything you have to say."

"You should be. Because Nicholas Blackwood isn't the man you think he is, and if you're not careful, he'll destroy your career just like he destroyed mine."

I stare at the message, my heart racing. This is exactly what Nicholas fears—his past coming back to reality. Victoria Sterling reaching out to me is going to confirm every paranoid suspicion he's had about trust and betrayal.

But it's also an opportunity. A chance to understand what really happened between them, what shaped Nicholas into someone so afraid of emotional vulnerability.

A chance to finally understand the woman who broke him.

"When and where?" I text back.

"Coffee shop on Sixth Street. Corner of Sixth and Lamar. One hour."

"How will I recognize you?"

"You won't need to. I'll recognize you."

I put my phone away and stare at my computer screen, trying to process what just happened. In one hour, I'm going to meet the woman who destroyed Nicholas Blackwood's ability to trust. The woman who might hold the key to understanding why the man I love would rather be alone than risk being hurt again.

This is either the best idea I've ever had, or it's going to destroy whatever small chance Nicholas and I might have had at finding our way back to each other.

But I have to know. I have to understand what I'm really up against.

And maybe, just maybe, I'll learn something that can help both of us heal from the damage she left behind.

Chapter 14: Climbing Walls

The coffee shop on Sixth is exactly the kind of trendy Austin establishment that looks designed for clandestine meetings—exposed brick, dim lighting, enough ambient noise to cover private conversations.

I arrive ten minutes early and choose a corner table where I can see the entire room. My heart is racing, palms sweating like I'm about to face a job interview or a root canal. In a way, I suppose I am.

She arrives exactly on time.

Victoria Sterling is nothing like I expected and everything I feared. Tall, elegant, with auburn hair and green eyes that assess the room with calculating precision before settling on me. She's beautiful in the way that comes from good genetics and expensive maintenance.

She looks like someone who could seduce a successful CEO and convince him to trust her with his vulnerabilities.

"Sadie Reynolds," she says, settling into the chair across from me without invitation. "You're younger than I expected."

"Victoria Sterling." I keep my voice steady despite my nerves. "You're exactly what I expected."

Her smile is sharp. "I assume Nicholas has told you about me."