Page 115 of Their Arrangement

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Loyal passed me in the hallway, gave a small nod. Royal followed behind, grinning like he already knew a secret I hadn’t told yet. Wolfe was waiting at the boardroom door, silent, unreadable, spine like steel.

Barron wasn’t there yet.

I prayed that meant something.

It didn’t.

I plugged in like I was supposed to.

Opened the presentation folder.

Double-checked the files. The slides.

Everything looked right.

You closed the browser. You’re fine. You’re fine.

The brothers filed in. Loyal. Wolfe. Royal.

Then him.

Barron.

I couldn’t breathe.

His eyes never touched mine.

He took his seat. Leaned back.

“Ready,” he said.

I hit the projector button.

The screen blinked.

Then bloomed.

Not the deck.

The inbox.

The escort inbox.

Center screen.

Larger than life.

Available tonight? Double if you don’t speak.

Silence.

Immediate.

Devastating.

Royal let out a low whistle.

“Well…fuck.”

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