Page 185 of Challenge Me

“He made you look weak, Amir. You’re vulnerable here, and you can’t let them direct you like a puppet this time.”

“What would you have me do?”

“I don’t know.”

I couldn’t deny that I was pissed at Remi. He’d taken it too far, all in the name of forcing me to keep my distance. Renshu had already told me that I wasn’t allowed to go near him. There would be eyes everywhere.

For someone who wanted to stay out of the headlines, he’d really put himself out there in a major way.

An atomic bomb wasn’t the right way to put it. Those lingered for too long, corrupting everything for decades. He was a flashbang. One violent burst of light, and then nothing. By the time my vision cleared, he’d just be gone.

“Let me get through this meeting,” I said. “Then we can discuss it.”

She nodded, and there was a flicker of something in her eyes. Trust. I wasn’t sure that I deserved it right now, but I would hold on to it in order to get through whatever I’d have to face on the road ahead.

*****

Everyone stopped talking when I entered the board room. Various expressions stared back at me. Some were pitying and others were annoyed that I’d dragged them into this mess, as if I’d knowingly gotten myself here.

The big glass window made the room feel like a giant fishbowl. As I sat next to Vera, I wondered if I was the guppy they all wanted to feast on.

Casually, I adjusted my tie. “I wish I could say it’s nice to see everyone, but the frown lines would indicate otherwise.”

Shawn forced a laugh, but when it drew attention to him, he fashioned a more compliant expression. I wasn’t even sure why he was here. Hopefully, it was to defend me. There were too few people in this room who I thought might have my back.

“Mr. Darya,” a man in a pressed blue suit said, his hands folded like he was initiating negotiations. “I’m sure we don’t need to tell you why this meeting is so important.”

“I saw the video.”

“Good. Before we do anything else, let’s cut to the important part: your statement.”

“I don’t exactly have one of those.”

He frowned, his eyes shifting to Vera. She cleared her throat and leaned forward, all business. “We’ve all been caught off guard, as I’m sure you understand. Might I suggest keeping this conversational as we navigate it together?”

He grunted his agreement. “Mr. Darya—”

“Just Amir,” I interrupted.

The frown lines deepened. “Did Remi Keane blackmail you?”

“No, absolutely not.”

Someone from legal cleared her throat. “Amir, we understand that this is a sensitive topic, but in order for us to remedy this situation, we need full transparency. Of course, as your legal counsel, anything you say here is protected. We can’t help you unless you want to help yourself.”

“I understand, and my statement doesn’t change. Remi didn’t blackmail me.”

She glanced at her colleague. He offered me a business-like smile as he slid a piece of paper toward me. “We need a formal statement asserting your position.”

I pushed it away. “I just gave it.”

“In order for us to pursue legal action—”

“Legal action? For what exactly?”

“Blackmail, if that’s what we determine it is. If not blackmail, then libel, at minimum.”

“We’re not suing Remi.”