Page 51 of Rio
He lets out a labored breath.“What are you doing here?”
Now I’m confused.“I’m working.You know I’m working.”
“But why are youreallyhere?”
Did he get out the wrong side of his bed?What is this?I don’t reply.
He waits, in silence.
“It’s pro bono,” I say finally, my voice clipped.I don’t want to tell him we’re going to file an injunction.I want the satisfaction of seeing his face when he finds out about it.And now I wish we hadn’t met last night.I wish I hadn’t gone to the food festival because then one thing wouldn’t have led to another.We wouldn’t have ended up almost naked in a lagoon, almost about to kiss.
What am I doing?
“EcoGuardians want me to gather information.”Which, technically, they do, so I’m not lying.
“A high-flying lawyer like you?Here, to gather information?Surely they could have sent an intern to do the job.”
He sounds like he doesn’t believe me.
“Why the shady company?Why a subsidiary?”I ask, deflecting.
“It’s not illegal.This is how business is done.”
I narrow my eyes.“So you can hide behind lots of different layers?”
“It’s a common practice.”But the way he says it sounds more like a warning than a fact.Like he wants me to back off.“Blue Star is doing good here—”
“Says who?”
“It will offer jobs.It’s going to put a lot back into the community.”
“Have you seen the coastline?”
“Not yet.”
“Why not?Afraid of what you might find?”
“I’m going there later.I’ve been busy with matters at the resort.”
“Just because you decide to put a monstrosity in the middle of a green space doesn’t mean the surrounding areas are untouched.In fact, you’re doing the opposite.You need to open your eyes, Knight.Stop blindly accepting whatever Daddy spoon-feeds you.”
He clenches his jaw.Doesn’t like what I’ve said.“You’re making a lot of assumptions.”
“I have facts and data on my side, what do you have?”
He scratches his beard.“Do you know something I don’t?”
“It’s not for me to tell you.Do your own homework.”
“Okay.”He pulls out a folder.“I have some information if you want it.Environmental data.I figured it might help you.”
I stare at it with suspicion.He’s been so oddly, subtly hostile with his questioning, so hot and cold, I don’t know if I can trust him.“Thanks, but I can draw my own conclusions.I’ve got eyes and ears.”
He hangs on to the folder.“I’m not forcing it on you.If you don’t want it, that’s fine, too.”A moment of silence passes.
“This must be a nice vacation for you,” I say.
“You think all we do is play, princesa?”His words are light, but his tone is ice.It makes me wonder if my earlier comment about hiring an escort offended him that much.He taps his fingers on the folder lying on his lap.“You don’t have to take this.I just thought it might help, that’s all.Not all Knight moves are underhanded.”
