Page 25 of Vows of Deceit
She looked away, emotion flickering across her face. “You say that like it’s easy.”
“I didn’t say it was easy.” He moved closer. “Just worth it.”
She searched his face. “Are you?”
Grayson’s breath hitched. “Ask me again when this is over.”
She reached for his hand. He took it. The silence between them felt like understanding. Not a promise. But the start of one.
Chapter Eighteen
Leo’s Dilemma
Leo Durant had been many things in his thirty-two years. Heir, strategist, friend, confidant but never had he felt more out of place than he did watching Damien Sterling unravel piece by piece. It started subtly. Damien missed meetings. Snapped at interns. Showed up to board discussions looking rumpled and hollow-eyed. The numbers didn’t lie. The firm was steady but its CEO was not.
Leo had known Damien since they were teenagers, both born into privilege, raised on expectations. They had shared secrets over whiskey and laughed through college scandals but this slow disintegration was something else entirely and Leo couldn’t ignore it anymore.
“Is it just me,” Leo said one morning to Jared over coffee, “or has Damien been… off?”
Jared arched a brow. “Off? He’s a ticking time bomb.”
Leo frowned. “You’ve noticed it too?”
“Everyone has,” Jared said. “But no one’s saying anything because he’s Damien Sterling. Untouchable.”
Leo looked down into his espresso. “No one is untouchable.”
It was a week later when Leo finally confronted him. The office was unusually quiet. Damien sat behind his desk, tieloose, sleeves rolled up, staring at a blank document on his screen like it had personally offended him.
“Busy?” Leo asked, stepping in.
Damien didn’t glance up. “If you’re here to lecture me, don’t.”
Leo closed the door. “I’m here because I’m your friend. And I’m worried.”
Damien leaned back, rubbing his eyes. “Don’t be.”
“Too late for that.”
Silence stretched.
“I know about Kelly,” Leo said quietly.
Damien stilled.
Leo continued. “I know it’s been going on for a while. And I know it’s eating you alive.”
Damien stood abruptly. “You don’t know anything.”
“I know Cassie deserves better than this,” Leo said. “And so do you.”
“Don’t bring her into this,” Damien snapped.
Leo’s jaw tightened. “She’s already in it. She’s your wife.”
Damien looked away.
Leo exhaled. “You’re losing everything. And for what?”
