Hayley was no longer hiding her intent. She dangled her claim over Elliot Presgrave like bait, watching for any crack in me, any sign that my instincts would betray what I was trying to suppress. But I refused to give her that satisfaction. Instead, I leaned back slightly and answered with deliberate calm, "Sure. That won't be a problem. I'll personally deliver the necklaces to his office—and I'll pass along my blessings too."
For a fraction of a second, something flickered in her eyes. It wasn't triumph.
It was unease.
She turned sharply to Felicia. "Director Evans, could you give us a few minutes alone?"
Felicia hesitated, her concern brushing against me like a protective instinct, but she nodded. "Of course. Excuse me." She stood and left, though not without casting me one last worried glance.
The moment the door shut, the air shifted. The civility vanished, replaced by something raw and hostile. Hayley's expression darkened as she glared at me.
