Chapter 13 – Bait Taken
Hunter asked for more responsibility the following Monday.
Stood in my doorway, tie slightly loosened, sleeves rolled.
“I want to earn real trust,” he said. “Let me handle something that matters.”
I looked up from my screen.
Considered him.
The faint shadow of stubble.
The way he held my gaze just long enough.
I slid a slim folder across the desk.
“New vendor bids for the Hale Group partnership. Review them. Flag anything off.”
His eyes lit.
Real light.
Greed wearing ambition’s clothes.
He took the folder like it burned.
“Thank you.”
That night he photographed every page.
Uploaded them to a cloud drive I already owned.
The bids were real enough to sting.
But the numbers were altered.
Just enough to lose us the deal if acted on.
Marcus Hale—my old classmate, the only partner I actually trusted—already knew the real figures.
He’d play angry when the time came.
Very angry.
I watched Hunter leave my office at nine.
Waited until his car pulled out.
Then called Marcus.
“It’s time,” I said.
He chuckled, low and dry.
“About damn time. I’ve been practicing my outraged face in the mirror.”
I almost smiled.
Almost.
“Make it good.”
I hung up.
Leaned back.
The board meeting was in ten days.
Enough time for Alex to feel useful.
For Hunter to feel indispensable.
For Chloe to believe the leash was hers.
I turned off the lights.
Let the city glow fill the room.
Contempt tasted metallic on my tongue.
I savored it.
The real game was just beginning.
THE MATRIARCH’S GAME