Page 39 of Close to the Edge

“Chance and two of his colleagues.” I couldn’t keep the stiffness out of my voice.

He noticed. “He’s coming here?” he rasped.

I swallowed at the volatile vibes oozing from him. “Yes.”

His gaze narrowed on me for several heartbeats. “Okay, I’ll need the names of the colleagues.”

I gave him the names, unable to stop the chill spreading over my nape. “Why?”

His stare was direct. “Everyone who has access to you is a suspect until I catch this asshole. Don’t underestimate anyone, Lily. And if you can help it, don’t trust anyone, either. That way you’ll avoid any nasty surprises.”

He turned away but not before I caught a flash of pain in his eyes.

Add the confounding emotions coiling through me, it rooted me to the spot for several heartbeats until a knock on my door snapped me free. By the time I finished dealing with my team member’s query, Caleb was on his phone.

We worked late into the night, then headed down to the seventh floor where the in-house catering staff had laid out a buffet-style meal in the dining room.

Although Caleb stayed close by, he didn’t engage in conversation. I tried not to glance his way, but it proved almost impossible. Especially when Miranda slid into the seat next to him, and he gave her one of those smiles that had been absent for almost a week now.

I turned away, finished the chicken parmesan I didn’t really want, while doing my best to reassure the two tech newbies on either side of me that they wouldn’t tank their presentation tomorrow.

I wasn’t sure what made me glance over at Caleb halfway through my conversation. His eyes were fixed on me, a ripple of muscle ticking in his jaw as he clenched his teeth.

Abruptly, he stood and walked around to where I sat. “Are you done eating?” He glanced pointedly at my plate.

“Yes.”

“You ready to head out?” he asked, flicking a cold glance at one newbie, who cowered away from the arctic mountain glowering at him.

I considered calling Caleb out on his rudeness, but it had been a long, draining day. I really wanted to get out of here. And it had absolutely nothing to do with wanting to get him away from Miranda, who was eyeing Caleb with barely disguised hunger.

I swallowed a knot of irritation. “Don’t stay too long, Miranda. I need you back here by seven.”

Her gaze swung to me, and I swore I caught a flash of something nasty in her eyes. A moment later it was gone. “Sure thing, boss. I’ll make sure you’re all set to go.”

Caleb’s impatient hand gripped the back of my chair, and I rose.

Maybe it was the don’t-mess-with-me vibes he gave off as we left the building, but nobody approached to talk to me. I continued with last minute prepping on my tablet right until we drove through the gates of my house. And then I couldn’t hold back the grain of irritation that had grown since dinner.

I cleared my throat. “I need a favor,” I said briskly.

He paused with a hand on the door. His eyebrow twitched but didn’t exactly lift. “Normally, a request like that is couched in a more...friendly tone.”

I fixed my gaze somewhere around his chest to avoid New Caleb’s cool, disinterested expression. “Tomorrow is an important day for me. So I need you not to...” I paused, a little annoyed with myself for needing to utter the words.

“It would help if you actually complete the sentence?”

The mild mockery lacing the words made me forget not to look into his face. His eyes weren’t disinterested. They were neutral. Enough to make that odd little band around my chest tighten.

To hell with this. “Stop flirting with my assistant,” I snapped.

He sat back in his seat, his eyes narrowing. “Why?”

“Excuse me?”

“What do you care who I flirt with?” he drawled.

“You’re supposed to be a professional. Do I really need to point this out to you?”

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