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“What did the police advise?” Random data points swirled inside her head.
Declan groaned. “They told me to keep calm and not panic. Yeah, right, fucking useless. No word on whether they intend a physical attack or cyberattack. To be safe, we sent everyone home and cleared the office.”
“What else?” Overwhelmed with concern, she shut her eyes and prayed he had a plan.
“Someone called David and threatened him. The police searched his home in Mayfair and found hidden cameras recording his family. He freaked out and sent Penelope and Nigel to stay with his parents in the country.”
Shit. “What a nightmare. What are you doing next?” Attempting to stay calm, she drummed her fingers in a repetitive pattern while her insides contorted into panicked knots.
“David wants a tech review after our network tests are complete, noon tomorrow.”
She bolted upright. “I need to be there. What’s Kavita scheming?”
“Ah, crap. She’s lobbying David to take over your job.”
Bitch. Containing her anger without exploding consumed every ounce of restraint she could muster. “Screw that. I’ll get there as soon as I can. Text me where the tech review will be held, but don’t tell David or Kavita I’m coming.”
“You got it. We need you, but David’s too damn polite to bother you. Luckily, I’m a rude arsehole unafraid to pick up a phone.”
“Stay strong and keep me updated.” Excessive politeness was never one of Declan’s gifts, and despite herself, the corners of her lips formed a weary half-smile. The combined impact of Kyle’s letter and Declan’s news smacked her like a physical blow. Enduring another crisis days after her life’s most terrifying experience might break her for good, and she hurled her phone to the ground. “Goddamn it!”
“Hey, you’ll break that fancy phone if you throw it again. What happened?” Quiet until now, Mark placed a hand on her arm.
“I need to fly to London. Now.” Her reserves dipped below zero, depleted beyond recovery, but this crisis at Kingsley required the entire leadership team to join forces and fight.
“Absolutely not. You must wait a week before flying.” Mark narrowed his gaze.
“A week? Are you serious?” Glaring, she staggered to stand. Stymied by Mark, who stood with elbows extended wide from his body and chest thrust out, she wanted to throw her arms in the air and swear at the heavens. “This can’t wait.”
“At least three more days.” Not budging, he stood with his arms crossed like a defensive shield.
“I don’t need my damn leg to run a company.” She straightened her body like a taut, live electrical wire at high voltage.
“Don’t be reckless. You just had emergency surgery and are at a high risk of developing compartment syndrome. I won’t allow it.”
Astonished, she took a second to absorb his comment before erupting. “Allow? You don’t own me. Whose side are you on?” Her voice carried a razor-sharp edge.
“The side wanting to keep you alive.”Mark stepped closer, towering over her.
“If David becomes incapacitated for any reason, I’m legally responsible for Kingsley Tech. Me.”
“Christ, Tess, you’re incapacitated. You can barely stand.”
“I’m catching the next flight to Heathrow.” Compulsion drove her like a bullet train speeding in the wrong direction—run, run, run.
“Fine. Ignore my medical advice and do whatever you want.”He turned away.
“People are counting on me.” Stung by his sarcasm, she pressed a hand to her temple, where involuntary spasms inside her head announced a headache’s arrival. Judging from Mark’s rigid back and locked jaw, he couldn’t contain his frustration, either.
Hell-bent on catching the next flight, she grabbed Kyle’s envelope from the bedside table and zipped it into a secure pocket deep in her laptop bag. The quick move avoided any need to confess the other task driving her race to leave, but the exertion made her overheat. She yanked off her sweater to counter the dizzy wave of wooziness washing over her. In a flurry of motion, she marched to the closet, emptied the still-packed suitcase from Cedarcliff, and stuffed it with fresh business clothes.
“Tess.” Mark slid his hands under her arms, lifted her up, and swung her around in one move. “Stop, now. Back in the truck, I promised always to give you the truth, so here it is. If the terrorists have planned another attack, you can’t prevent it, and you also can’t bring anyone back from the dead.”
Visions of Kyle and Riku reignited her grief. “I know.” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “That’s why I can’t let anyone else die.”
Feet apart, she and Mark stood locked in a silent, intense battle of wills. Seconds passed, and a pressure-filled dam of emotion burst inside her chest and exposed her vulnerability. Stepping closer to Mark, she gingerly wrapped her arms around his chest and listened for the thud of his heartbeat.
He pulled her closer and stroked her hair. “I’ll admit it. I care about you, and I can’t just stand here and let you risk your life again.”
