Dominic stood at the head of the long conference table, arms crossed, eyes cold. His executive team sat in their usual places, folders open, digital tablets glowing. But today, there was a new presence in the room—and it made the air crackle.
Kira Evans.
She stood beside him, unbothered by the full circle of power players surrounding her. Her ivory blouse was crisp, her face unreadable. While the men in the room shifted and sized her up, she didn't blink. She didn't need to prove herself with words. Not yet.
Dominic's voice cut through the tension. "Everyone, this is Kira Evans. She's the new internal consultant overseeing our security, intelligence, and... personnel integrity."
A few of the execs exchanged looks. "Consultant" was the polite word. What Dominic meant was: spy.
"She has full access," he continued. "That includes confidential files, internal communications, and every single one of you."
A quiet scoff broke the silence. Bryce. Predictable.
"With all due respect," he said, leaning back in his chair, "we've been running this company just fine without outside babysitters. I don't see how bringing in someone with no history here—no loyalty—serves our interests."
Kira's lips curved slightly. Not quite a smile. More like a warning.
"I don't need loyalty," she said. "I need results. And if I'm here, it's because something's broken."
Marissa glanced at Dominic, curious. Peter, ever cautious, cleared his throat but said nothing.
Kira stepped forward, cool and composed. "Let me be clear. I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to do a job. If you're clean, you won't hear from me. If you're not…" She let the silence speak.
"Then what?" Bryce challenged, folding his arms.
Kira met his gaze with the kind of calm that made men nervous. "Then I'll expose you before your next coffee break."
That shut him up.
An hour later, the room had thinned out. Marissa stayed behind, eyes narrowed in curiosity as Kira reviewed a set of files already sent to her tablet.
Dominic remained silent, watching her. She moved like a woman used to leading, not following. No hesitation. No false politeness. No fear.
He liked that.
"You made an impression," he said once they were alone.
"I wasn't trying to," Kira replied, tapping her screen. "I don't have the energy to perform for men with fragile egos."
Dominic smirked. "You'll fit in just fine, then."
She looked up, holding his gaze. "We'll see."
By the end of the day, Kira had already flagged two inconsistencies in the internal communications logs—one in Bryce's department. It wasn't enough to accuse. But it was enough to dig.
Dominic read her findings in silence, then looked up.
"You did all this in six hours?"
Kira leaned on the edge of his desk. "I don't waste time. And I don't miss."
He watched her carefully. The way she didn't flinch under pressure. The way she refused to be anything other than what she was—brilliant, blunt, and completely untouchable.
Dominic had spent years surrounded by yes-men and power-hungry leeches. But Kira… Kira was something else.
She didn't want his money. Didn't seem interested in his charm.
Which made her dangerously interesting.