Chapter 02
danger flickering behind her eyes
Colin
I cross the lobby and head straight for the elevators, nodding to the receptionists as they greet me. The space is all glass and stone, polished to a mirror shine beneath high ceilings and cold light. Employees move past me, and I acknowledge them with a brief nod.
As the elevator doors slide shut, I brace myself for the start of another week.
When I step out on my floor, Margaret, my executive assistant, falls into step beside me before I even reach my office. We go over the day’s brief, efficient as always. Within minutes, she’s gone to carry out her tasks.
An hour later, I’m going over a spreadsheet when Theodora—head of HR—appears at my door.
“Colin, I’m showing the new junior executive assistant around. Mind if we come in for a quick introduction?”
I nod and rise from my chair. “Go ahead.”
She steps in, the new hire trailing just behind her. The moment the woman crosses the threshold, her eyes find me, and stay there.
She’s a little taller than Theodora, though still average height. Five-four, maybe five-six. Olive skin, dark hair, and eyes so green they almost look unreal. Striking, in a way that demands notice.
“Colin Montgomery,” I say, offering my hand. “Welcome to Montgomery Clifford & Co.”
Her grip is firm, though delicate. There’s a brief pause, a flicker of hesitation. Her eyes never leaving mine, as if she’s gathering herself before she speaks.
“Maya Fisher,” she says finally. “It’s an honor to work for your company.”
I start to release her hand, but she holds on—tighter, like she’s reluctant to let go. I tilt my head, studying her, and gently pull my hand free.
The realization hits her a second later. She lowers her hand, looking down before meeting my eyes again.
“Sorry,” she murmurs. “I think I’m just a little nervous. I really wanted this job. I guess it hasn’t sunk in yet.”
“Colin, don’t scare her before she’s even started,” Theodora teases, cutting through the tension.
I allow myself a faint smile. “So, Maya. Do you have prior EA experience?”
I never ask where they studied. Not everyone gets the chance at an Ivy League education. I did, but I don’t need to remind people I graduated from Yale. My achievements speak louder than any diploma hanging on a wall.
She names the company where she interned, a respected one.
“Impressive,” I say, meaning it. “And now you’ll be working for the best M&A firm in New York.”
Her lips curve into a modest smile, but her eyes stay on me. Locked on me.
I ask whether she’s met Jonathan yet, the company’s VP and a close friend since high school. He’s still in a meeting, Theodora explains, but they’ll stop by his office later. A few polite exchanges follow before she gestures toward the door.
When Maya extends her hand again, I keep mine in my pockets and give a small nod instead. “I’ll walk you out.”
She hesitates, then drops her hand.
Just before the door closes, she turns back to me.
“It was a pleasure, Mr. Montgomery.”
I nod once. “Likewise.”
The door shuts, and I catch myself lingering on the way she looked at me as it closed. A quick shake of my head dismisses the flicker of unease, and I return to my desk.
The last two weeks have been much of the same. Endless work, little room to breathe.
Between new opportunities, clients demanding attention, and deals that refuse to close themselves, the days blur together. And always, the bureaucracy, the tedious, inevitable weight of running one of the country’s most sought-after merger and acquisition firms.
Some nights I make it home in time for dinner, or find Ceci and the kids still awake. Most nights, I don’t.
They’re used to it. They always have been.
I tell myself that’s just how it had to be, that every sacrifice serves a purpose.
Still, there are moments when I wish I’d been there more.
For the milestones I missed, the conversations that never happened, for Ceci.
But wishing doesn’t change a thing. And guilt?
That’s a luxury I learned to outgrow a long time ago.
Ethan is sixteen now. Alicia’s twelve. They’re doing fine.
At forty-three, there isn’t much I regret.
Everything I’ve built has meaning. It’s a legacy, something solid they can one day look at and know it was for them.
Lately, another constant has found its way into my days.
Maya. The new junior executive assistant. Somehow, she’s always there. In hallways, in meetings, in passing. There’s something about her, as if she notices more than she should—the way her eyes never leave mine, even during a brief nod.
Three soft knocks pull me out of my thoughts.
“Mr. Montgomery?”
I look up, and there she is. Almost like I’d summoned her.
I glance at my watch. Past eight.
“What are you still doing here?” The edge in my voice comes out sharper than I intended.
She flinches, then recovers quickly. “I was having trouble with a spreadsheet. I wanted to finish it tonight.”
“I’m sure it could’ve waited until morning. There’s no reason to stay this late.”
“I don’t mind,” she says evenly. “I don’t back away from work. Especially not the kind I enjoy.”
There’s a certainty in her voice, bordering on defiance, that almost makes me smile.
Almost.
“Do you need anything?”
“I’ll reach out to IT tomorrow. Sorry for disturbing you.”
She’s halfway to the door when I stop her. “Show me.”
Without hesitation, she crosses my office and sits across from me, handing over her tablet. I scan the file, impressed despite myself.
“This is good, Maya. Very good.”
She gives that same careful smile.
“It just needs a few small adjustments,” I continue, pointing out a formula error. “That’s what caused the issue.”
She listens intently. Focused, almost hungry for direction. When I hand the tablet back, our fingers brush. A fleeting contact, nothing more. But she inhales softly, her lips parting just enough for me to notice.
“I don’t even know how to thank you,” she says quietly.
“There’s no need,” I reply. “You did well.”
She rises, smoothing her skirt, her eyes locked on mine. “Goodnight, Mr. Montgomery.”
I nod. She heads for the door, looking back at me just before her hand finds the doorknob.
And there it is again. The unmistakable danger flickering behind her eyes.
When the door clicks shut, I exhale once and return to my work.
Time to finish up and go home.
To Ceci.