Page 49 of No Merciful Corruption

I grit my teeth.

“I can hear your molars cracking, Narvaez.” Sasha murmurs from beside me.

I release my jaw.

Hours spent reviewing paperwork and listening to legal jargon has worn on my patience. Exhaustion creeps up on me but it’s only early afternoon and I still have so much to get done today. At least I can cross the sale of my shares to Sasha Antonov off my list. Rian was right when he said I had initially entertained this business deal as a way to spite him but I’m glad to see it worked out in the end. At the end of the day he and Sasha are still brothers and last month’s incident triggered a fundamental shift in their relationship. Where there was once barely concealed animosity there is now practiced civility. Perhaps respect.

They’re a long way from being as close as Diego and me but it’s a start. I hope for their sake that they’re able to build something solid from here on out. Having a brother has been my life’s greatest blessing.

When he isn’t overcomplicating my life, that is.

“Anything else?” I ask.

Blanchard shakes his head. “That’s it for the paperwork at least. All that’s left is for the bank to complete a transfer of funds.”

Sasha doesn’t look up from the last document he’s signing. “Offshore?”

“Swiss.” I remove my glasses and return them to their case. I should be better about wearing them, especially when reading for long periods of time, because I’m starting to get a tension headache. “We can still negotiate the price. I can’t help but feel as though I got over on you.”

He responds with a curt shake of the head. “Don’t. The shares are valuable and you had a substantial number of them. Current market is in your favor and I’m more than willing to pay what they’re worth. Not to mention capable.”

He leaves little room to argue and I decide it’s for the best. We’ve already signed across the dotted line. No use in trying to change anything now. I only hope he won’t interpret this as my owing him a favor down the line.

Blanchard is on his way out when the door opens. Lyss steps into the meeting room and casts a quick glance around the room. When she spots us, her shoulders deflate with relief.

“Good. I was hoping you’d be here.” She drops her bag on a chair at the head of the table. “You just saved me another train ride.”

I open my mouth to respond but Sasha beats me to it. Almost immediately he rises from his seat and says, “Did you need me for something?”

She blinks up at him and takes in his presence for the first time. “Oh! No, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean—” She points. “I’m here for him. Do you mind?”

An entire ten seconds pass before Sasha pushes in his chair and excuses himself with a simple bow of the head. Lyss pays him little mind but before he leaves, he stops at the door to look at her one last time. I open my mouth to ask Lyss about it but remember I don’t actually care. Not my monkeys, not my circus.

She pulls out a chair and sits at the head of the table. “Can we talk?”

“Of course. You don’t need to ask.” I take the seat adjacent to hers and turn the chair so we’re facing each other. “What’s going on?”

I can’t help but notice how exhausted she looks. Lyss, a beacon of warmth and stability, is dull around the edges. Her under eyes look sallow and her deep auburn hair has lost its copper luster. She wears it in a braid and I only notice because I’ve never seen it like this before. Her baggy green sweater and worn-out jeans make her stand out like a sore thumb amid the opulence of The Empress. The decadence around us—hardwood floors, jewel-toned décor, low hanging chandeliers, and sumptuous velvet wallpaper—draw attention to her weathered appearance. Warm golden light from the wall sconces draw all the color from her face.

“I just got back from the precinct. Detectives Wilson and Carson made me haul ass all the way to 67th Street if you can believe it.”

“They called you in again for questioning?” I ask. “Did you go alone?”

She shakes her head. “No, I was with Rian.”

“What happened?”

“They asked a million questions and I answered as best as I could. They kept trying to poke holes in my story but I could tell they were frustrated when they realized they couldn’t. Overall, it went fine but that’s not what I wanted to talk about.” Her tone turns serious. “I saw Karina there.”

My back straightens. “Karina?”

“She’s an adjunct at Hunter and their campus is around the corner. I think she was filing a police report. Or at least, that’s what it looked like from where I was. We didn’t cross paths and she was gone by the time I finished with the detectives.” Her brows draw together. “I thought Dahlia was going over to her house today?”

I reach into the inner pocket of my suit jacket and pull out my phone. “So did I.”

“Do you think it has something to do with Brent?” she asks. “Maybe he’s been harassing her at work.”

“I’m about to find out.” I dial my brother’s number but before I’m able to place a call, Beni’s name appears on the screen. I answer before it’s able to ring once. “Beni, I have to call you back⁠—”