Page 135 of Sin

“And the other part?”

I close my eyes. The board. The company. Laurel’s offer from Sex Activity Pro. The power imbalance. The affair. Every reckless choice I made because wanting her felt easier than doing the right thing in the right order.

“There’s exposure,” I say.

Richard is quiet for a second. “What kind?”

“I’ve been involved with someone at the company.”

“An employee?”

“Yes.”

Another pause. This one heavier. “Is it consensual?”

“Yes.”

“Documented?”

The question makes my stomach tighten. “No.”

“We’ll need to be careful.”

“I know.”

“You need to stop all contact outside professional necessity until we put a plan in place.”

Everything in me rejects that. Immediately.

“No.”

“Sin—”

“I won’t abandon her in the middle of this.”

“I’m not asking you to abandon anyone. I’m telling you that your personal choices now have legal, financial, and corporate consequences.”

“I’m aware.”

“Then act like it.”

The words hit hard because they’re exactly what I’d say to someone else.

I walk into the living room and lower myself into a chair. The house does not feel like mine. Maybe it never did.

“What do I need to do?” I ask.

“First, you do not discuss the relationship with the board, your brothers, or Jenna until we decide strategy. Second, you preserve all communications. Do not delete anything. Third, we need to talk through your company’s policies regarding workplace relationships, reporting structures, and conflict of interest.”

I think of Owen. Owen is going to murder me.

“Fourth,” Richard continues, “if this woman reports to you directly or indirectly, we need to remove that conflict immediately.”

My chest tightens.

“She has an offer from a competitor,” I say.

Richard exhales. “That complicates things.”