Chapter 9 - Sparks in the Penthouse
That evening, the frantic noise of Wall Street faded into a quiet, twilight calm. The staff had gone home, leaving Genevieve and me alone in the expansive executive suite as the lights of the city began to flicker on like scattered diamonds.
We stood together by the massive curved glass window overlooking the harbor, wine glasses in hand.
"You never told me how you convinced Arthur's attorney to reach out to you in prison," I remarked, taking a slow sip of the vintage Barolo.
Genevieve laughed—a rich, melodic sound that made my chest tighten with a feeling that had nothing to do with corporate takeovers. "I didn't convince him. When you're an innocent CFO in federal prison, word gets around. The inmates who actually ran corporate schemes know who the real fraudsters are. They respected me because I didn't break. Arthur told his lawyer, 'Give the ledger to Croft. She's the only one with the steel to finish the job.'"
She turned to face me, the reflection of the city lights shimmering in her dark, expressive eyes. The space between us felt electric, heavy with unspoken tension that had been building since the moment I had fastened that diamond necklace around her throat forty-eight hours ago.
"And you, Dominic?" she asked softly, stepping closer. "Why did you do it? You didn't need Sterling's logistics routes. Costello Global could have crushed them in open competition within two years."
"I told you," I answered, my voice dropping an octave as I looked down at her lips. "I wanted to put you back in the room you belonged in."
"And that was all?" she challenged, a faint, tantalizing smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Just business strategy and old-fashioned chivalry?"
May you like
I set my glass down on the marble sill, stepped into her space, and reached out, letting my fingertips brush the side of her jawline just as I had on the night of the wedding. She didn't pull away; her breath hitched slightly as her eyes searched mine.
"You knew the answer to that when you put on the red dress, Genevieve," I whispered. "From the first moment you walked into my office with ice in your eyes, I knew I was looking at the only woman in this city who was my equal."
