She shrugged and followed me into the living room. “I could use a good laugh.”

“Ha ha.” But unless I was mistaken, she didn’t look horrified by the possibility.

“Your presence has been requested at syndicate headquarters,” Kori said, perched on the arm of the nearest couch.

“Now?” I asked, and she nodded. “And headquarters would be where?”

“Jake’s house. But don’t let that lull you into a misplaced sense of comfort.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” I opened the minifridge and pulled out two sodas, then tossed one to her. “What does he want?”

“To talk business. And probably to apologize for your mistreatment at my hands.”

My brows rose in surprise and I spread my arms to take in the elegant suite around us. “If this is mistreatment, you can abuse me any day, Ms. Daniels.”

She laughed, and I watched her. Making her smile felt like a victory.

“So, what if I don’t want to report to Tower? What if I’d rather sit here and finish this soda with you?”

Her smile died a slow death. “Then I’d have to assume that you’re not seriously considering our offer. And I’d be obligated to relay that to Jake.”

“Obligated?” I said, and she shrugged.

“I can’t lie to him.”

I twisted the top from the plastic bottle and the soda inside fizzed briefly. “I take it he doesn’t bear bad news gracefully?”

Kori blinked and seemed to consider the question. “Honestly, he doesn’t get much bad news. Messengers tend to go out of their way to make sure they only bring him good news. Many a decision has been changed at the last minute by a messenger with a will to survive.”

I watched her, waiting for a smile, or a laugh, or even one sharply arched brow to tell me she was joking.

She had to be joking. Right?

I wasn’t going to take the chance, either way. I couldn’t afford to piss off either Kori or Tower until I had a clear shot at Kenley Daniels.

Standing, I screwed the lid back on my bottle and set it on the coffee table. “So, anything I should know about this meeting?”

Kori shrugged and sipped from her own bottle. “Don’t promise him anything. Ask for more than you expect to get, so he can talk you down a little and save face.”

“But I haven’t agreed to sign yet.”

“Exactly. This is his chance to try to buy you. Later, when you do agree to sign, the first draft of your contract will reflect whatever the two of you hash out in his office today. Nothing’s official until the ink has dried, but you want a good starting place. You need a good starting place.”

Except that I didn’t want to start anything with Jake Tower and his organization. I’d come here to finish things.

* * *

An hour and a half later, after endless rounds of verbal posturing, thin pretense and precisely worded defensive blocks from us both, Tower leaned back, hands resting on the padded arms of his desk chair, evidently satisfied.

I’d been very careful to ask for more than he’d give the typical recruit, to show that I knew my own value, but I only pushed the issue on a couple of points, mostly because I had no real intention of signing and I didn’t want to waste any more time making demands I would never see met.

In the end, Tower was satisfied that he was getting the better end of the deal, but not suspicious that his victory had come too easy. And by the time he pressed a button and asked his sister to bring in a round of drinks—signaling the end of our “business talk”—I was mentally exhausted. I’d had very little experience with negotiation, and overthinking everything I planned to say before I could say it had given me one hell of a headache.

When Julia Tower arrived with a tray of drinks, Kori opened the door for her, then followed her in from the foyer, and I felt myself relax a little at the sight of her.

Then I realized that was not the reaction I should have to the woman who was trying to get me to sign over my free will. Tower wanted me to be comfortable with her. He wanted me to trust her. He wanted me to be blinded with need every time I glanced into those big brown eyes, so I wouldn’t have the clarity and focus to understand what I’d be signing away when he put that pen in my hand.

But it wouldn’t work.

Sure, I wanted her. But if I let my guard down even for a second in this den of lions, one of them would bite my head off.

Tower frowned up at Kori from his desk chair. “How much of the business side of things have you shown Mr. Holt?”

She froze, and I remembered what she’d said about being unable to lie to him. Fortunately there was nothing stopping me from lying to Tower. “Not much,” I said. “Today I wanted to see downtown and get a feel for the syndicate’s structure. Kori was kind enough to oblige me.”

It wouldn’t occur to me until later that night to wonder why I’d lied for her without a second thought.

Tower glanced at his sister, then his gaze slid to me, and I felt the weight of it. This was different from how he’d looked at me at the party. This look was skepticism and surprise, and for a moment, I thought he’d call me on my lie. But then he only turned back to Kori and nodded, and Kori turned toward the door. We’d obviously been dismissed.

“Mr. Holt,” Julia Tower called, and Kori’s hand froze on the doorknob. “How are you enjoying your stay?”

“Very well, thank you,” I said, and Kori turned to face her slowly, dread written in every line on her face.