Page 103 of Defended By Love

Reinhold freezes. Like does not move a muscle for several seconds, even though I can see the processing that’s happening behind his eyes.

“You seem very adamant that Hart Link Incorporated, the gold standard of environmental practices, has something to hide. We don’t. There is nothing more important to Mr. Hart than the environment.”

I roll my eyes. Pointedly.

“We’ve both read the DFO report on the fish populations surrounding your island.”

Every-so-slightly, his brows furrow. His fingers fly to his phone.

“They’re classified documents,” I say, annoyed that I don’t have them on me. Although, really, I haven’t consistently had them on me since the first time I was fired.

Reinhold doesn’t listen to me. He continues to swipe and prod at his phone. Then, he stops and reads. He reads with the stillness of a statue in the dead of winter. Only his eyes blur back and forth as he soaks in every detail of the report.

When Reinhold finishes reading, he exhales slowly out of his nose.

“It appears you were right to be disappointed in my lack of thoroughness,” he says.

“Is that really the ploy you’re going for? You didn’t know? Everything that’s happened since, including the building getting destroyed, is just coincidence?”

Reinhold laughs an imitation of a laugh. “Flies, they buzz around with their own internal dramas, never realizing the truth.”

God, if this is his attempt at a normal conversation, I’ll go back to the questions, thank you very much.

“And what’s that?”

He runs his pinky down the length of his scar while he eyes me over. “That they’re flies.”

“You expect me to believe that none of this has anything to do with my firm, with me getting a bit too close to whatever it is that you’re up to?”

He leans casually, half-sitting on his gargantuan desk.

“While you are admirable in your determination, Miss Cox, you are not a threat to Mr. Hart. You could argue the case of your life and get Mr. Hart convicted of the largest environmental indiscretions you could imagine, and he could make it all go away with his proverbial money in the couch cushions. No, Mr. Hart does not respond to threats because there is no one alive who could threaten him. He acts only to further his own plans. If something stands in his way, he moves it. He never reacts. Rather, he anticipates.”

In that moment, it’s painfully obvious that this is the truth.

I am a fly.

“What are his plans?”

I don’t know what I expected. I should’ve expected what I get. Reinhold doesn’t answer me, he just stares me down with his unwavering gaze.

“The death. In the building,” he says finally. “You say she usually dies. Did she today?”

“No. For the first time, I was able to save her.”

Reinhold nods. “And has anything gone terribly awry today?”

“No,” I say, hesitantly. This feels like a big moment, though I’m not sure why.

Then, Reinhold smiles. It’s a wolf’s grin of a smile that doesn’t even begin to meet his eyes.

“I would suggest you keep it that way. After all, happily-ever-after convention would indicate that the loop would probably be solved when you save the girl.”

He doesn’t believe what he’s saying and neither do I.

But I do believe the intent.

“What are you saying?”

---