Evelyn was back at the Chronicle, but nothing felt the same. Her desk was now tucked into a secure corner office previously reserved for the night editor. Her old boss, Mark, looked at her with a mixture of reverence and terror, introducing her to new staff as "the woman who made the Board sweat."
The paper had cleared her name, but the reality of her legal situation was crippling. Julian Thorne's lawyers had dropped the corporate espionage suit only to immediately replace it with an impossibly complicated, multi-million dollar defamation claim, now targeting the Chronicle directly.
The new security protocols were the most noticeable change. The old, worn front door now required a biometric scan. And Evelyn had a shadow.
Liam Hayes.
He was a man built of quiet intensity and solid muscle, the kind that came from years of highly disciplined, physical work. A former Force Recon Marine, now running a bespoke security firm, he had been hired by the Chronicle Board at an astronomical rate, less to protect Evelyn than to demonstrate due diligence to their shareholders.
Liam leaned against the wall outside Evelyn's office, his arms crossed over a crisp, dark polo shirt. He didn't look like a bodyguard; he looked like a physics professor who decided his thesis required him to be able to lift a compact car.
"You're late," he stated as Evelyn dropped her bag onto her chair.
"I'm a journalist, Liam, not a federal agent. I was following a lead," she countered, irritation already coloring her voice. They had been working together for two weeks, and every interaction was a battle for control.
"You were following a tip about a potential new victim in New Jersey, fifty miles outside the agreed-upon protection perimeter, without notifying me," Liam corrected, his voice calm and level. "That's not following a lead, Evelyn. That's unilateral mission drift."
"My mission is the truth, Liam. Yours is babysitting," she shot back, unlocking her computer. "Julian Thorne wants me silenced. He's not going to send a man with a gun; he's going to send a legal filing. I need to be in court or on the street, not in a bunker."
"He will send a man with a gun if he thinks you're about to uncover something that threatens his freedom, not just his money," Liam insisted, stepping into the room. His presence instantly made the small office feel smaller. "And you are that close. The SEC freeze has him panicked. We don't have enough data on his new security detail. Until we do, I need to know where you are."
Evelyn sighed, running a hand over her face. "Fine. New parameters. I'll text you the location before I leave. You stay out of my interviews, and you stop hovering."
"I hover because you jump," Liam said, a ghost of a wry smile touching his lips. He moved to her window and expertly checked the lock. "By the way, that tip you followed? Aethel filed for that specific corporate address three hours after you left. Coincidence? Or were you led into a surveillance trap?"
Evelyn froze. She hadn't considered that. Her eagerness to find a new source might have blinded her.
"What do you mean?"
"The location was safe when you were there. It meant Thorne knew where you were going, let you go, and confirmed you were chasing peripheral data. He uses intelligence to manage risk, not just to eliminate it." Liam turned to her, his intense blue eyes holding hers. "You're a brilliant investigative mind, Evelyn. But you have zero tactical awareness. That's why I'm here. You focus on the words, and I'll focus on making sure you live long enough to publish them."
His critique was unnervingly accurate and devoid of judgment. Evelyn realized her initial view of him as a muscle-bound obstacle was simplistic. He was a professional, and right now, her life depended on his expertise.
"Okay, Liam," she conceded, rubbing her temples. "No more mission drift. But I need to visit Aris Thorne today. He's released on bail, but his legal situation is a disaster. His lawyers asked for a consultation with me."
Liam checked his watch. "Consultation, or emotional support? He's the martyr witness; Thorne will be watching him like a hawk. We go, but we take the secure, unmarked van, and we run a counter-surveillance sweep before we leave the city limits. We move like the enemy expects us to move."
"As you command, Captain," Evelyn murmured, grabbing her satchel. She hated the feeling of being managed, but as she watched Liam efficiently coordinate their departure on a secure satellite phone, a flicker of something new replaced her irritation. It wasn't just safety; it was the unexpected, anchoring sensation of having someone competent standing between her and the abyss.
Liam glanced at her, sensing the shift. "Just stick to the mission, Reed. And try not to make me shoot anyone today."
Evelyn managed a genuine, albeit nervous, smile. This was more than just a security detail. It was the start of an uncomfortable, high-stakes partnership that was already blurring the line between professional necessity and something far more complex. The legal war had begun, and her survival depended on the man who was now her necessary nuisance.