Page 86 of Alpha-Ex Wedding Ruse
Charles nodded. “Understood.”
“In the meantime, lock down Finance. Everything. Vendor approvals, reimbursements, discretionary spending. No money moves without my signoff.”
“I’m on it.” He spun and headed for the door.
The moment it clicked shut behind him, I turned toward the window. My reflection stared back at me, eyes burning. My wolf snarled beneath the surface—restless, coiled, ready to tear into flesh. Rage thundered in my veins.
I slammed my palm against the intercom.
“Get Victor Vaughn in my office,” I growled. “Now.”
Five minutes later, the door flew open, and in walked Victor. My jaw clenched tighter—so tight I could hear my own teeth grinding. Every step he took toward me only stoked the fire. It took everythingin me to keep my wolf from clawing its way to the surface, from launching across the room and tearing into him until he no longer had the guts to speak to Leila. Or destroy my company.
“You sent for me,” he said, voice smug, followed by the sound of a chair scraping.
I snapped my head in his direction and caught him getting comfortable in one of my chairs.
“I didn’t ask you to sit,” I bit out.
But Victor didn’t so much as flinch. If anything, he made a show of crossing one leg over the other, his gaze fixed on mine, testing me. Daring me.
I wasn’t the type to lash out. People often mistook my silence for calm. But my anger was the kind that crept in cold, strategic. Devastating. And yet, right now, the very sight of him and the thought of Leila agreeing to go out with him snapped something loose in me. I was dying to lash out.
I waved a hand toward the file on my desk. “I had a look at this quarter’s financials. Fascinating read.”
Victor’s gaze darkened. “I didn’t send you any report.”
“You didn’t have to. Charles had the good sense to do your job for you.”
His nostrils flared. “Are you monitoring my work now? What—do I look like I need a babysitter?”
“What you need,” I said, flipping the folder open with more force than necessary, “is to be out of this company.” I stabbed a finger at the page. “Explain this.”
Victor shrugged. “There’s always fluctuation in Q2. You know that. Logistics balloons from international partnerships, the annual shipping—”
“Don’t insult my intelligence,” I cut him off, my voice laced with venom.
He stilled.
“Two ghost vendors in marketing. Three in logistics. Payments funneled through dummy accounts. All of it cleared under emergency authorization. All of it tied to your access code.” I leanedforward. “Did you think I wouldn’t notice? Are you trying to sabotage me?”
He didn’t flinch, didn’t attempt to deny it. Or even offer any remorse. Instead, he laughed, low and humorless, like I’d just told him the world’s best joke.
My fists curled at my sides. My wolf roared inside me, pacing with fury.
“I don’t need to sabotage you, Luca,” Victor drawled, smug to the bone. “You’re doing that well enough on your own by frolicking around with your wedding planner.
“Watch your fucking mouth!” I snapped. “Don’t you dare talk about her, or I’ll break your jaw.” I ground out, barely able to control my seething wolf. “This isn’t about Leila. This is about YOU stealing from the company—whether to line your pockets or inflate numbers to impress her—”
“Oh, bullshit,” he cut in. “Everything with you is about her, and you damn well know it. She told me how she just happened to be caught up with work the night we were supposed to have dinner.” He scoffed. “Didn’t take a genius to figure out that work had something to do with you. You can’t stand that she’s moving on.”
The blood roared in my ears.
“She’s letting go, Luca,” he sneered. “And your pride can’t handle it.”
“Victor.” My voice was a warning. A final attempt to hold the beast back.
But he didn’t stop. He never knew when to shut up.
