"Hide," Damon commanded.

He pointed to the knee-hole of the massive desk. It was enclosed on three sides.

"Are you insane?" Vesper whispered.

"Do you want him to find you here? Looking like that?" Damon gestured to her. Her lipstick was smudged. Her blouse was askew. She looked thoroughly ravished.

Vesper scrambled off the desk. She smoothed her skirt and crawled into the dark space under the desk just as the heavy door handle began to turn.

Damon sat in his chair. He pulled it in close to the desk, effectively sealing Vesper inside.

She was trapped in the darkness, curled up by his feet.

The door burst open.

"Damon!" Julian's voice was shrill. "We need to talk about the merger!"

Vesper held her breath. She saw Julian's expensive Italian loafers enter the room. He was alone. But as he paced closer, a waft of scent drifted under the desk. Vanilla and cloying sweetness. Serena's perfume. It clung to him.

"You don't knock, Julian?" Damon asked. His voice was calm, composed.

"I don't have time for pleasantries," Julian snapped. "Serena is in the car downstairs. She's sick. I need to get this over with."

"Ah," Damon said. "The pregnant pop star. How touching."

Vesper looked up in the darkness. She couldn't see Damon's face, only the underside of the desk and his legs.

"I need a loan," Julian said, pacing. "Vesper... she's poking around the accounts. She's refusing to sign the disbursement papers. I need cash to secure the condo before she figures it out."

"Why?" Damon asked. "Is your wife becoming... difficult?"

"She's a nuisance," Julian spat. "Once the baby is born, I'm dumping her. I just need to wait for the morality clause in the prenup to expire."

Vesper felt a tear slide down her cheek. Hearing it was different than suspecting it.

Damon shifted in his chair. His hand dropped down to the side, resting on the armrest support, just inches from where Vesper was huddled.

He didn't reach for her. He didn't make any movement that Julian could see. But his pinky finger brushed against her shoulder. A silent acknowledgement. I hear him too.

"I wouldn't be so sure, Julian," Damon said to his brother. "Women can be... surprising."

"She's a doormat," Julian scoffed. "She has no talent, no spine. She's nothing without the Sterling name."

Vesper bristled. Rage burned through her sadness.

Damon's finger tapped against her shoulder, a rhythmic, calming beat. Or maybe a warning. Wait.

"Get out, Julian," Damon said, his voice dropping to a dangerous growl. "Before I decide to audit your personal accounts myself."

"You wouldn't," Julian said, faltering.

"Try me. Get out."

The door slammed.

---

Silence returned to the room.

Damon rolled his chair back.

Vesper crawled out. Her knees were dusty. Her face was flushed. She stood up, smoothing her clothes, trying to regain a shred of dignity.

She looked at Damon.

He was watching her, his expression unreadable.

"You heard him," Damon said.

"I heard him," Vesper said. Her voice didn't shake. It was cold. Hard.

She walked to the credenza where she had left her purse. She picked up the sapphire ring from the desk where Damon had dropped it before the kiss. She slipped it into her pocket. She wouldn't wear it. Not ever again.

She turned to face him.

"I'm going to destroy him," Vesper said. "I'm going to take everything. The money. The reputation. The career."

"I know," Damon said. "I'll help you."

Vesper looked at him. "Why? He's your brother."

"He's a liability," Damon said. "And you... you are an interesting investment."

Vesper walked to the door. She stopped and turned back.

Damon was still watching her, his lips swollen from their kiss, his tie still askew.

"By the way," Vesper said, her voice devoid of the heat that had been there minutes ago.

"That night at the hotel? It meant nothing to me. It was just a transaction."

She opened the door and walked out before he could respond.

Damon sat alone in his massive office.

He touched his lip where she had kissed him.

Then, a slow, dark smile spread across his face. It wasn't a nice smile. It was the smile of a wolf who had finally found a worthy opponent.

The game was on. And for the first time in his life, Damon Sterling had met his match.

---