Page 85 of So Close

“That we’ll do it. Wanna drink?”

“Um, sure. Just a splash.”

How the hell does Lily go through life deliberately sober? There’s no fucking way. Maybe she’s a stoner. Of course, with Kane pumping orgasms into her with his delicious dick, perhaps she’s getting all the buzz she needs.

I shakily pour myself one finger of liquor and mentally applaud my restraint, then pour the same for Clarice. The stopper clatters against the lip as I plug it.

Discovering the condoms threw me over the edge, and I need to settle down. A little splash doesn’t violate the no-drinking-before-five-o'clock rule. Besides, I have something to celebrate. I’ll take the worthless detox powder after my shot.

“We’ll need a website,” I think aloud, “and a new name. I’m going to work on Baharan and the relaunch separately. I need your help. Are you open to juggling two jobs? We get Social Creamery 2.0 off the ground, and then we can both leave this hellhole.”

Taking one of the visitor chairs, she sets the folder in her hand on the edge of the desk. “I’m always open to new challenges, you know that. But I need a raise. Can you pay me for juggling?”

“Yes, I’ll take care of it.” I set her glass in front of her and resume my seat behind the desk. As chief financial officer, Darius is the money man, and I’ll get what I want from him. He owes me. “We’ll need outside staff. People who can work from home for the time being.”

“If they’re working from home, you can spread a wide net.”

“Yes. I’ll post the jobs today.” I force myself to sip instead of swallow, then sigh with relief as the familiar burn warms the chilly place inside me that’s shivering so hard. It’s so good, I want to drink a tumblerful. But I won’t. “We’ve already got our first client, so we need to pull a team together fast.”

42

ALIYAH

“Ryan.”I stand as the handsome young man steps into my office, my smile genuine. It’s not just his arrival that pleases me. Security also warned me that Amy has dragged herself back to the office. I have to give the girl credit for showing some spine. Now let’s see if she shows her true colors after she has a few drinks and bothers to open her desk drawer. “Thank you so much for stopping by.”

“No problem.” Ryan Landon flashes his charming smile and sets his satchel carefully on top of my console by the door. The gorgeous cognac leather has warmed and grown supple with use. Kane carries the same satchel, only in black, and gifted Ryan his after he’d expressed appreciation for Kane’s. “I needed to chat with Kane anyway. Is he in a meeting?”

I’m momentarily startled by the question. “No ... You haven’t spoken to him lately?”

“We touched base the day before yesterday.” He adjusts his trousers and jacket for comfort before settling into one of the two visitor’s chairs in front of my desk. Relaxed and unaware of any issue, he sips his takeout coffee.

Ryan’s the type of male a woman enjoys perusing. Tall and dark, easy on the eyes, with a powerfully self-possessed physicality. Like Kane, he’s a man whose father was careless with his family’s financial security. The elder Landon invested and lost everything in Geoffrey Cross’s Ponzi scheme. Having unreliable, selfish and foolhardy fathers is an experience that has bonded Kane and Ryan in an unshakeable way. They seem to trust each other to some degree, although not entirely, which is not unexpected after they both grew up with – and overcame – the disastrous consequences of someone else’s failure on such a massive scale.

They’ve done well, though in different ways. Ryan is now married, and Kane has been a widower, limiting their opportunities to spend time together, but they’ll always look out for each other. Some college friendships last lifetimes, and I believe theirs will.

“Did he tell you he was in the office?” I ask.

“When isn’t he? He practically lives here.” Ryan is plainly bemused by my questions. I’m equally puzzled as to why Kane hasn’t leaned on his closest friend more heavily in a time of upheaval. “What’s going on?”

I focus on my cream palazzo pants as I fluff them, trying to hide how my thoughts are scrambling. I’ve been preparing for this meeting for days now, planning exactly how I’d introduce the subject of Lily’s past and elicit Ryan’s help in dealing with the risk. Now, I’m wary of saying too much. I don’t understand why Kane wouldn’t mention his absence from the office. Perhaps the two men have drifted apart. If so, how much do I want to share?

“Aliyah?”

I straighten and decide to take the other visitor’s chair next to Ryan. Position is everything, and for this, I want him to feel like a confidant. “You’ve known Kane a long time,” I begin.

“You could say that. Columbia does seem like it was a lifetime ago.”

“Did you know Lily?”

“Lily …” Ryan’s gaze darts away. “Yes, I knew her.”

“Knew her well?”

He smooths an imaginary wrinkle from his slacks, then looks at me. “She was my girlfriend when I introduced them.”

“Oh.” And yet I find I’m not that surprised. “Would you mind telling me why you broke up?”

His gaze narrows on me in a way that is out of character for him – at least as I know him. “Why do you ask?”

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