Page 42 of Override

Because I notice her.

Specifically.

The way she smiles with her whole face around certain people. The way she adjusts earrings when anxious. The way exhaustion settles behind her eyes faster lately.

My brain catalogs details about Maeve Gallagher automatically now whether I want it to or not. That should concern me more than it does.

“She’s at another fundraiser?” Bullet asks quietly beside me without looking at the screen.

Interesting.

Apparently I’m not subtle anymore either.

“Mm.”

“Fancy stalker behavior,” Wheels says immediately.

“It’s surveillance.” I don't glance up from the screen.

“You know her favorite tea.” Wheels murmurs.

“That’s operational awareness.”

Matt’s voice cuts through the comms before Wheels can continue his harassment. “Focus.”

The entire SUV settles instantly. That’s the thing about Matt. He rarely raises his voice because he doesn’t have to.

Everyone straightens anyway.

I shift attention back toward the mission feeds while the processing plant grows larger through the windshield ahead. Exterior guards rotating every forty-three seconds. Rear entrance unsecured. Upper east windows partially boarded.

Sloppy setup.

Military-grade weapons. Civilian-level planning.

Classic ego problem.

Beside the blueprint, Maeve laughs softly at something one of the donors says.

And there it is again. That strange tightness low beneath my ribs. Because she looks beautiful tonight, yes. But that’s not the part I can’t stop watching.

It’s the performance.

The way she moves through rooms like she was trained to make people comfortable before they even realize they need it. The ease in her body around everyone else. The careful warmth in her smiles.

And then—Ronan steps into frame.

Everything changes instantly. Most people would never notice it.

I do.

Maeve’s shoulders stiffen first. Then her smile shifts.

Not disappearing. Worse. Flattening.

Like someone quietly pulled her backward inside herself.

I tap my leg twice while I watch a few words pass between them too quietly for even enhanced audio to fully catch through the ballroom noise. Ronan says something. Maeve responds.