At 1:00 AM, Corrin sat behind the mahogany desk in the study. She closed the final file on the merger acquisition.
She rubbed the back of her stiff neck. She stood up, turned off the desk lamp, and walked out into the dark hallway toward the master bedroom.
The heavy bedroom door pushed open. Heavy footsteps sounded on the hardwood floor.
Grayson Carlisle walked in.
In the dim light from the hallway, Corrin saw him pull at his silk tie, loosening it from his collar. Deep lines of exhaustion framed his mouth.
He took off his custom-tailored suit jacket and tossed it onto the velvet sofa.
A scent drifted through the air. It was the sharp smell of alcohol mixed with his signature cedarwood cologne.
But underneath the cedarwood, Corrin smelled something else.
It was a faint, distinct note of Swiss rose absolute.
It was Jaye Beaumont's custom perfume.
Corrin's heart dropped. The floor beneath her feet felt like ice.
She stood perfectly still in the shadows. She watched Grayson walk to the minibar and pour two fingers of whiskey into a crystal glass.
He threw the liquor back in one swallow. He turned around and finally saw Corrin standing there.
Grayson put the glass down. He walked toward her. His long strides closed the distance in seconds. He boxed her in, placing his hands on the wall on either side of her head.
He looked down at her pale face. He frowned. "Why are you still awake? You look terrible."
The smell of the rose perfume was stronger now. It mixed with the alcohol on his breath. Corrin's stomach rolled, but she locked her jaw. She did not step back.
"I was dealing with Lachlan's garbage personnel proposals," Corrin said. Her voice was flat.
At the sound of Lachlan's name, Grayson's eyes turned sharp. The exhaustion vanished, replaced by predatory aggression.
He lifted a hand. His rough thumb brushed against her jawline. The touch was intimate, but completely devoid of warmth.
"The Patriarch's birthday banquet is coming up," Grayson muttered. "Lachlan is lobbying the board like a desperate dog."
Corrin looked straight into his gray eyes. "I will handle it. I will cut off Lachlan's reach in the External Affairs Department tomorrow."
Grayson stared at her. A low, dark chuckle vibrated in his chest. "You are always so ruthless, Corrin."
The word pierced her chest. To him, she was just a machine. A weapon to be pointed at his enemies.
Grayson lowered his head. He buried his face in the crook of her neck. He took a deep breath, as if drawing energy from her skin.
His body heat and heavy breathing washed over her. Corrin's fingers curled into tight fists at her sides.
She closed her eyes. "The new partnership smells... uniquely sweet," Corrin said, her voice a perfectly smooth, icy blade. She tilted her head slightly away from him, a subtle but unmistakable gesture of disgust. "Overly so."
Grayson's body went rigid. The arm resting against the wall flexed.
He straightened up. He looked away from her, his eyes fixing on the dark window.
"It was a standard business dinner," Grayson said. His voice was perfectly even. "Some of the partners brought female companions."
Corrin looked at his perfect profile. She knew he was lying.
She swallowed the bitter taste in her mouth. She said nothing.
Grayson turned and walked toward the bathroom. "The family dynamics are getting too complicated. I don't want you getting in too deep."
Corrin stared at his back. "I've been in the center of it for five years. It's a little late to tell me to step back."
The bathroom door shut. The sound of running water filled the room, cutting off the conversation.
Corrin stood alone in the middle of the bedroom. She looked at the suit jacket lying on the sofa. The jacket that carried another woman's scent.
Her eyes turned to ice.
She walked over to the sofa. She pinched the fabric of the jacket between two fingers. She lifted it and dropped it straight into the laundry hamper in the corner.
