Chapter 4 - A MAN AT THE DOOR
The security room showed him on camera three.
Corbin Vale.
Baseball cap.
Gray hoodie.
Hands in his pockets.
Smiling at the camera like he knew Briar was watching.
Her knees almost gave out.
Damien noticed.
“That him?”
Briar said nothing.
“Briar.”
“Yes.”
Damien turned to Victor.
“Bring him up.”
“No!”
Every man in the room looked at her.
Briar grabbed Damien’s sleeve before she realized what she was doing.
“Do not bring him near me.”
Damien looked at her hand on his arm.
Then at her face.
“All right.”
She released him.
“What are you going to do?”
“Remove him.”
“What does that mean?”
Damien didn’t answer.
“That is not an answer.”
“It’s the only one you’re getting.”
“No one dies because of me.”
Something flickered in his eyes.
“People don’t die because of you.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I know men like him.”
“You are a man like him.”
The room became very still.
Victor looked genuinely worried for her.
Damien stared at Briar.
She expected anger.
Instead he said, “No.”
“No?”
“A man like him needs you afraid.”
Damien moved closer, but stopped outside arm’s reach.
“I don’t.”
Briar gave a bitter laugh.
“You told me I couldn’t leave.”
“And I was wrong.”
The words stunned everyone.
Maybe Damien too.
He turned toward Victor.
“Open the elevator. Ms. Lennox leaves whenever she wants.”
Victor nodded.
Briar stared.
“That easy?”
“No.”
“What?”
“It’s not easy.”
Damien’s voice dropped.
“But it’s your choice.”
Her chest tightened.
Then the intercom buzzed.
Security.
“Mr. Ashworth, the man downstairs says he has information about Elena.”
Damien froze.
Briar saw it.
“Elena?”
His dead wife.
Victor’s expression changed.
“Boss, don’t.”
Damien pressed the button.
“Send him up.”
Briar stepped away.
“You just said—”
“You can go to the guest wing.”
“I’m leaving.”
“Then Victor takes you somewhere safe.”
“I can take care of myself.”
Damien looked at the message on her phone.
“Evidence suggests otherwise.”
She glared at him.
He almost smiled.
Almost.
The elevator opened.
Corbin stepped out.
For two years, Briar had dreamed of this moment.
In every dream, she screamed.
Or ran.
Or woke up unable to breathe.
In real life, she simply stared.
Corbin was handsome.
That was the first trap.
Warm brown eyes.
Easy smile.
The kind of face strangers trusted.
“Hey, Bri.”
Caesar growled.
Corbin looked at the dog.
“Still collecting broken things?”
Briar’s face went pale.
Damien moved between them.
“Speak to me.”
Corbin smiled.
“So you’re Ashworth.”
“You said you know something about my wife.”
“I know why she died.”
Damien’s entire body went still.
Victor whispered, “Boss.”
Corbin reached into his jacket.
Three guns rose.
“Relax.”
He pulled out a flash drive.
Briar stared at it.
Corbin held it toward Damien.
“Your wife’s death wasn’t an accident.”
Damien took one step closer.
“Who killed her?”
Corbin looked around him.
May you like
Then smiled directly at Briar.
“Her father did.”
