When I arrived, I was covered in a thin layer of sweat. Calmly—so fucking calmly—I made my way to his black Range Rover. My heart didn’t beat as fast as it should have. I leaned on the driver’s side of his vehicle, hands in pockets, and waited.

When the elevator pinged and glided open, the frown on his face twisted into a gape and he clamped it before I could laugh.

“Are you playing hard to get, Jordi? Because it’s not your ass I’m after.” I flashed him a winning smile. He stepped backwards, his arm already moving to the button panel, before I tsked, shaking my head and holding his gaze with mine.

“Come on, Van Der Zee. Ignoring me won’t make me go away, but it will make me very fucking pissed.”

Reluctantly, he loosened his red silk tie, taking a step forward. The elevator slid shut behind him, almost taunting him, and we were alone. We stood maybe twenty feet from each other, but it didn’t make the situation any less suffocating. For him, at least.

“What are you going to do? Beat me? Kill me?” He raised his head, his eyes spewing hatred at me. Fear was an old enemy. I didn’t allow room for it in my life. Everyone on the floor other than my three friends was practically shaking whenever Jordan addressed them. I was mildly amused with his self-importance. I scoffed.

“Just because I’m not the same, sickly white color you are doesn’t mean I’m a thug.”

“You’ve made some questionable mistakes in your life leading me to believe self-restraint is not your strong suit,” he retorted, walking over to me. We were now standing dangerously close to each other for him to say shit like that.

“What on earth are you talking about?”

“Your daughter situation,” he said.

I cupped my mouth to hide my laugh. “I’ve never conducted myself less than one-hundred percent professionally in my career. Whatever happens in my personal life is my business, not yours.”

“The way a person behaves outside the office is a direct reflection of who he is as a professional.” Jordan stiffened, his spine pencil-straight.

I pushed off of his vehicle. “Let’s not open this shit, Jordi. You’re hardly a saint, and your sins aren’t limited to fucking the wrong person at the wrong time.”

I left it at that, refusing to let him know Edie had confided in me—I’d never compromise her secrets—but at the same time, made sure he realized that while he’d been doing his due diligence on me, I’d done the same.

“What’s your beef with me, huh?” I asked, straight up. Our eyes never broke contact, engaged in a bloody battle of wills. “Why do you want me out so fucking bad?”

Jordan surprised me by taking a final step toward me, erasing all space between us. We were now toe-to-toe, nose-to-nose, closer than I’d ever been to any of my friends.

A wicked grin bloomed on his wilted face. “You’ll find out soon enough. Tell me, Trent, do you have a plan for how to get rid of me?”

I didn’t answer. Didn’t need to. He knew the answer. Otherwise, he wouldn’t want my flash drive so fucking much. The fact he knew about it in the first place was not an accident. I always told people I didn’t trust the secrets I wanted to be passed along. Max, his personal assistant, had been the perfect target. We’d had drinks after work at some HR woman’s birthday party when I’d leaned and mentioned the flash drive, knowing it would send a message to Jordan—watch your back. You’re not the only one with tricks up his sleeve.

“Because let me tell you, Rexroth, I definitely have a plan to get rid of you, and it is going to hurt you in all the right places. In all the places you hurt me.”

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“You’ll know soon enough.”

I gave him a sure grin, ignoring his stupid comment. Next thing he was going to vaguebook about me like a hormonal twelve-year-old girl. He obviously had a problem with me. But instead of coming out and saying it, he chose to dance around the subject like a little pussy.

“The gloves are off, old man.” I smirked, opening the door for him. Confused, he climbed into his vehicle, staring at me suspiciously as I played the dutiful valet. I tapped his window and winked. “May the best man win.”

“What is it that you think you have on me, Rexroth, that makes you so bloody confident?”

“That’s not how this game works, Van Der Zee. The surprise is half the fun. Drive safe.” I gave him the words I’d spewed at his daughter on our first encounter. Only with him, I didn’t mean them. I strolled to the elevator, punched the button, and walked in.

That evening, I called Edie, asking if she was going to come in for work. She said yes.