Leo Westbrook stood at the window of his office long after Claire had gone. The city sprawled beneath him, alive and restless, yet he heard only the echo of her voice.
My brother's life is at risk. This isn't a joke.
Brother. The word lingered like a stone in his chest. He should not have cared. He had built an empire by cutting away the dead weight of sentiment, by teaching himself that family was weakness. And yet, the look in her eyes when she said it, desperate, unyielding, had struck something he thought long buried.
He turned from the glass, loosening his tie. His control was usually absolute, but Claire Sullivan had walked in and unsettled the balance.
The phone on his desk buzzed once. He pressed the button.
"Yes?"
His assistant's voice came through, precise and cool. "Mr. Westbrook, Trent is waiting outside. He insists it is urgent."
Leo's jaw tightened. "Send him in."
A moment later, Trent entered, broad-shouldered, his posture rigid. The bruise at his temple told its own story.
"You've been busy," Leo remarked, lowering himself into his chair.
Trent's gaze flickered. "Just following orders."
"Orders I didn't give." Leo's voice cut like glass. "Explain."
Trent hesitated. "The boy owes us money. If we don't keep the pressure on, we'll never see it back."
"'We?'" Leo's tone sharpened. "You mean Dominic."
The silence confirmed it.
Leo leaned back, steepling his fingers. "So my brother is recruiting my men to do his dirty work now. Interesting."
Trent swallowed. "Sir, I"
"You forget yourself, Trent." Leo's voice dropped to a lethal calm. "I built this empire. Not Dominic. And I decide where the lines are drawn."
For the first time, Leo saw fear flicker across Trent's face. Good.
"From this moment," Leo continued, "you'll stay clear of the Sullivan boy. If I hear otherwise, you'll regret the day you signed your contract."
"Yes, sir," Trent muttered, bowing his head.
"Leave."
When the door shut behind him, Leo exhaled slowly. He hated that Dominic's name had entered this already tangled equation. His older brother was like a shadow he could never escape, always circling, always waiting for the right moment to strike.
Leo poured himself a drink, the amber liquid steadying his hand. He remembered the last time he and Dominic had spoken, two years ago, in this very office. The words were still etched into his memory.
*You think you're untouchable, little brother. But every empire has cracks. And I know exactly where to look.
Leo downed the drink in one swallow.
Now, Claire Sullivan had appeared in his world, dragging her own brother's mistakes into his path. A brother who owed money not just to nameless creditors, but to Dominic's circle.
Coincidence? He doubted it.
He returned to his desk and opened the file he had ordered compiled on Claire. Her résumé flashed across the screen, her string of broken engagements, her ruthless pursuit of stories that toppled reputations. Heartbreaker. Predator in stilettos.
And yet.
The photograph attached, her press badge headshot, showed a woman with fire in her eyes, yes, but also something else. A flicker of vulnerability he doubted she realized was visible.
Leo touched the edge of the screen lightly, as though testing the shape of a thought.
She had demanded his help. That was leverage. But it was also a challenge. And Leo Westbrook never walked away from a challenge.
Another knock at the door broke his reverie.
His assistant reappeared. "Sir, you have a call. It's him."
Leo's jaw hardened. He didn't need her to say the name. Dominic's timing was as precise as ever.
"Put him through."
The phone line clicked. Then a voice, rich with mockery, filled the room.
"Little brother. I hear you've been interfering with my arrangements."
Leo gripped the phone, forcing his tone calm. "Your arrangements are my empire. Don't forget whose name is on the building."
A low chuckle. "Oh, I haven't forgotten. I just enjoy reminding you that not everything inside it belongs to you."
Leo's eyes narrowed. "Stay away from the Sullivans."
"Ah," Dominic said smoothly. "So she's gotten under your skin already. I wondered how long it would take."
Leo's grip on the receiver tightened. "You won't touch her. Or her brother."
Dominic's laugh was soft, dangerous. "Protective, are we? Careful, Leo. That kind of attachment has always been your weakness."
The line went dead.
Leo set the receiver down, slower than he wanted to. His pulse hammered in his throat.
Dominic had just drawn a line in the sand, and Claire Sullivan was standing right in the middle of it.
For the first time in years, Leo felt the faintest trace of unease. Not because of Dominic, but because of her.
He looked back at her file, at that stubborn, fire-bright gaze staring back at him.
If she wanted to play dangerous, he would oblige.
But he could no longer deny one truth.
Claire Sullivan was more than a complication. She was a threat.
And Leo Westbrook had never dec
ided whether threats were best destroyed, or claimed.