Page 124 of Collateral Love
That settled it.
I called Kenya after.
She was still healing. Bruises yellowing. Shoulder taped. But her voice was clear.
“He’s mapping reactions,” she said after I told her. “Which means he thinks he’s smarter than the board.”
“What’s the play?” I asked.
She didn’t hesitate. “Let him think he’s winning.”
I smiled despite myself.
Of course, that was her answer.
So we widened the field.
We fed Miles information that didn’t matter— small misdirections, controlled leaks. He adjusted immediately.
Then we gave him something real.
A shell company was dormant and clean. One Charles had never touched. We told Miles it was vulnerable.
He didn’t warn us.
He rerouted Cameron’s scent toward it.
That was the moment.
Because Cameron didn’t know it existed.
Only one person had bridged that gap.
I didn’t react. That’s the part people don’t understand. Exposure doesn’t happen with shouting. It happens when silence removes all exits.
I waited two days.
Then I asked Miles to meet at my office. No war room or screens. Just my office and the city behind glass.
He walked in relaxed. Jacket perfect and smile measured. That motherfucka really believed he was getting over on us.
“You wanted to talk?” he asked.
I poured him a drink.
“Sit,” I said.
He did.
“You’ve been invaluable,” I told him.
His shoulders loosened. Just a touch.
“I try,” he said.
I nodded. “You ever feel like loyalty gets heavy?”
He chuckled. “That’s part of the job.”
