Diego leaned back, impatience flickering across his face. "I'm offering you real business. Are you actually going to pass?" He couldn't understand it. The contract would add more than ten million a year to SecureTech's revenue.

And that was the opening number. He'd done his homework on the firm. Their income was impressive, but nowhere near what Ramos Enterprises could unlock.

Audrey picked it up, barely glanced at it, and tossed it back across the desk. The pages slapped against his jacket. "You can show yourself out."

His eyes widened. "Don't be rash. Turning this down is a mistake."

Did he think this was charity?

"Mr. Ramos, if you think that little of my company, there's no reason to do business with it. And let's not hand Ms. Stone anything to misread. Tomorrow, at the bid, I hope you'll pay attention. I'd hate for you to miss it."

She hit the intercom. "Reid, please walk Mr. Ramos out."

"Audrey—" His voice dropped, cold. He was convinced she was being completely unreasonable.

"I'll be back," he said through his teeth, and walked out.

On the way to the car, Jason glanced at him. "It fell through?" He wasn't hiding his surprise. "Ten million, maybe more, and she turned it down flat?"

"Drop it." Even worrying about her had been a mistake.

"How's tomorrow looking?" Diego asked, rubbing his temple. He'd already moved on. He needed Jason to walk the plan again and make sure there were no holes.

"All set, Mr. Ramos. There aren't many people in Crestview who can go toe to toe with you. As for Ms. Griffin—" Jason shrugged. Her connection to the Bells wouldn't move the needle much.

"Take me out to the River Oaks house. How's Lila settling in?" The thought of her eased something in his shoulders. He'd bought the place for her—a compromise, since she wouldn't move into his.

"She's well. Spending time with a new friend, Yara Logan. I looked into her. Ordinary family, nothing concerning."

"Diego!" Lila met him at the door and wrapped both arms around him. "How did the meeting go?"

He'd mentioned his plan to bring SecureTech in.

Lila hadn't liked it. As far as she was concerned, the divorce should have severed everything. She couldn't stop wondering whether he was still caught on Audrey, and whether that was the real reason he kept finding business to conduct with her.

"It didn't take. There's no rush. I'll revise the terms and try again," Diego said as they moved into the living room. Security was not optional. Every executive agreed SecureTech had the best build for their needs, and their projects involved data that could not leak.

A shadow crossed Lila's face. She tightened her grip on his arm. Did he really have to keep going back to that woman?

"Diego, is SecureTech genuinely the only firm in the city? I understand if she doesn't want to work with you. I just hate watching you at her mercy," she said, eyes filling.

"Don't worry about it. I'll handle it. Go enjoy your friends." He patted her head.

---

The next morning, Audrey was already dressed and working when the car came. Today was the day the whole thing became real.

"Reid, did you include the letters my brother sent with the bid package?" She was going through it line by line.

"All in there." He handed over the folder, tabbed and ordered.

"You've got this. Today's yours," he said. "Honestly, just thinking about watching Diego Ramos's team sit through it is enough to get me out of bed."

Audrey gave him a look. "Don't get ahead of yourself. Nothing's decided. Focus."

Reid chuckled and pulled out his phone. "Celebrations require planning. I'd hate to look unprepared. Or lose my bonus."

A few people passing by laughed.

"Does overconfidence run in the family, Ms. Griffin?" Marcus Vance took a seat nearby with Diego, looking her over.

Audrey caught his eye and went back to her notes.

"You know what, you people are—" Reid started, color rising.

Audrey cut him off with a look. "Don't waste your breath. Let the results talk."

Reid shut his mouth and straightened the bid documents instead. Then he pulled out her chair. "Ms. Griffin."

They'd barely sat down when Omar Bell arrived carrying two absurdly overloaded breakfast plates. "Your favorite. Eat. My father and his team are ten minutes out."

He dropped into the seat beside her and leaned in. "There aren't many bidders today, but every one of them is serious. You're sure you don't want me to put in a word?"

Audrey gave him a flat look, picked up a pastry, and pushed it into his mouth. "Do you really have that little faith in me?"

Omar grinned around it. "My mistake. Don't be mad."

"I'll be remembering this conversation."

Their banter pulled glances from across the otherwise silent hall.

Diego and Marcus couldn't stop watching her. "I don't love this," Marcus murmured. "Omar's feeding her pointers."

Diego's eyes narrowed. "You told me the Bell family wasn't stupid."

"I'm just saying. There's always a chance it doesn't go our way."

If Diego won, Marcus's family stood to make a fortune. He had skin in it.

"And if she wins," Diego said, rubbing his temple, "then we weren't good enough." He was already turning over the fallback.

More firms filtered in and the hall came alive. Then Gerald Bell, head of the Bell Group, came through with his team and went straight into the conference room, leaving an aide at the door.

"Good morning, everyone. I'll be coordinating today. Please wait until your number is called. Team one."

Omar glanced at Audrey's number and smirked. "Dead last?"

"Going first doesn't mean walking out with it." She sipped her coffee and watched Diego disappear into the conference room ahead of everyone, a dry smile on her lips.

"Something funny, Ms. Griffin? You honestly think you're winning this on merit? Look around. Every company in this room is top-tier. Can a boutique security firm really compete?" Marcus sneered.

Omar turned on him. "Nervous, Mr. Vance? Relax. Relationships are a qualification too."

Audrey didn't bother looking up. With small men, why spend the words?

By mid-morning, it was her turn.

She took a breath and walked into the conference room without hurrying. Reid followed with the documents.

Gerald Bell blinked when he saw who the last candidate was, and adjusted his glasses. "Ms. Griffin. Does your family know you're here?"

He and Audrey's father, Victor Griffin, went back thirty years, though their paths had drifted. Very few people knew how close the two families had once been.

Audrey smiled politely. "If I'm sitting here, they know. But let's run the standard process, Mr. Bell. This is the full plan, and these are the letters of intent I've already secured."

Then she laid the whole thing out.

Behind her, Reid couldn't look away. She burned brighter than anyone who had walked through that door all morning.

The Bell team started out flipping through her proposal. One by one, they set the pages down and just listened.

By the end, nobody was reading.

When she finished, the vote was unanimous, and it didn't take a second round.

Reid froze for half a beat, unsure what came next.

Audrey stood. "Thank you. I'll make sure the Bell Group gets the hospital this city should have had twenty years ago."

She turned and walked out, and her smile never slipped.

The moment she cleared the door, Omar got to her first. "Well?"

Reid snapped his fingers. "What do you think? Start planning tonight." He tipped his chin at Omar, smug as anything.

Diego's stomach dropped. He didn't need to be told.

Then Marcus shot out of his chair and lunged at Audrey, grabbing for her arm.