The doors of Shaw Industries swung open and the woman's heels rang out across the polished lobby floor as Aiden followed her inside.
"Did Cyrus send you to come get me?" he asked.
"Who?" was all she said.
"Cyrus," Aiden repeated. "He owns this company."
"Oh, you mean Mr. Shaw." She said it without breaking stride, already heading for the elevators. "That's what his employees call him. It might do you some good to remember that."
"I didn't mean any disrespect," Aiden said. "He's an old friend of the family."
"Mm hmm." She stepped into the elevator without looking at him. The doors slid shut.
She doesn't seem to like me very much, Aiden thought, watching her stare straight ahead. Is she judging me on my appearance? I'll have to fix that.
The elevator opened onto the top floor. She led him to her desk and handed him a printed document without ceremony.
"This is a list of the positions we have open at the moment. What kind of role are you looking for?"
Aiden scanned the list. Nothing on it would come close to impressing Ava's parents.
"I would like something in senior management," he said firmly.
The woman stared at him. "But we don't have any open senior management positions. I can't give you a role that's already occupied."
Aiden didn't care for her tone. Shaw Industries was part of the Tiger Group — which meant, at the end of the day, it was his company. I have to keep my identity secret for now, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let this secretary push me around.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"Rachel."
"Listen, Rachel — you asked me what kind of role I wanted, and I told you. Either you speak to Cyrus and find something suitable, or I'll go to him myself. What's it going to be?"
Rachel held his gaze for a moment, as if weighing exactly what kind of person she was dealing with.
"I'll speak to Mr. Shaw as soon as he gets in," she said at last.
Aiden smiled. "Good choice. I look forward to hearing from you."
Rachel reached for an envelope on her desk. "Oh — Mr. Shaw also left this for you." She handed it over.
Aiden tore it open. Inside was a check for ten thousand dollars and a short note in Cyrus's hand: Here's some more cash to tide you over. Go to Broadway Bank. They'll take care of you.
Aiden grinned. Good old Cyrus.
* * *
Outside, Shane and his men were long gone. Aiden checked his phone. Still early — plenty of time. He ran through a quick mental list. New clothes for the new job. A second phone to communicate as Tiger without leaving a trail. But first: the bank.
Broadway Bank was a tall, marble-fronted building a few blocks away. Aiden joined the queue and waited until a teller window opened up. The young man behind the glass wore a badge that read Perry.
"How can I help you today?"
"I'd like to cash a check." Aiden slid it under the glass.
Perry's expression shifted the moment he saw the amount. He held the check up to the light, turned it over, examined it carefully — then looked Aiden up and down, taking in the worn clothes and unpolished shoes.
"Nice try," Perry sneered. "Do you think I'm an idiot? There's no way this is real." He tore the check into pieces and let them scatter across the counter.
"What the hell are you doing? Stop!" Aiden snapped.
Perry ignored him and signalled to the security desk. Two guards moved in from either side. One grabbed Aiden's shoulder.
"Don't touch me." Aiden shook him off. "I want to speak to your manager."
"What's going on here?" The voice was familiar — deep, assured. Aiden turned to find Ben Jameson crossing the lobby toward them. The security guards straightened at once.
"This man was trying to cash a fraudulent check," Perry said quickly.
"I'll handle this." Ben gave Aiden the briefest wink. "Follow me."
The guards parted. Aiden fell into step beside Ben as he led them toward the manager's office.
"What are you doing here?" Aiden murmured.
"Tiger Group business. This bank is one of yours. Cyrus mentioned you might be stopping by." Ben pushed open the office door. "There's someone I want you to meet."
The manager was on his feet before the door had fully opened. "Ben! I wasn't expecting you today."
"Hello, David. I have someone with me." Ben turned to Aiden. "Show him the ring. David is one of our captains — you can trust him."
Aiden slid the ring from his finger and held it out. David took it carefully, turned it over, and tilted it toward the light. The moment he saw the T engraved inside the band, his mouth fell open.
"Oh my god. Are you The Tiger?" The questions came tumbling out before Aiden could answer. "How long have you been back? Where were you all these years? What can I do for you?"
"Easy, David." Ben raised a hand. "No one outside this room can know he's here. He's operating quietly until Maximilian returns. Cyrus wanted you informed so that when the time comes to announce his return, we'll be ready."
David composed himself with a nod. "Understood. You can't be too careful — not with a spy inside our ranks."
Aiden's eyes sharpened. "You know about the spy?"
"All the captains do," David said.
"How many captains are there?" Aiden asked.
"You know Cyrus, Ben, and Maximilian. Then there's me, Ivan, Parker, and Lara."
Aiden blinked. "Lara? One of the captains is a woman?"
Ben laughed. "Lara is not a woman so much as a force of nature. There isn't a man in the Tiger Group who could beat her in a fight. Be careful with that one."
"Your father and Lara's mother were close," David added. "When her mother died, Lara stepped into her place."
"I look forward to meeting her," Aiden said.
"Be careful what you wish for," Ben said, not entirely joking.
"In the meantime," David said, "anything you need, Tiger — just ask."
"There is one thing," Aiden replied. "I came here to cash a check, and your teller tore it to pieces."
David's expression darkened. "What? On what grounds?"
"He looked at my clothes and decided the check couldn't be real."
"Sounds like one of your staff needs a lesson," Ben said drily.
David's jaw set. He reached for his desk phone. "Perry — come to my office. Now." He set the receiver down and folded his hands.
Moments later, Perry appeared in the doorway, breathing hard. The colour drained from his face the instant he saw Aiden standing there.
"Why didn't you consult me before destroying this man's check?" David said.
"The — the amount was very large, sir, and this man is—" Perry faltered. "The check was drawn on Mr. Shaw's personal account. I thought I was protecting the bank."
"Your job is to bring anything suspicious to me. Nothing more." David opened a drawer and placed a roll of tape on the desk. "Now reassemble that check exactly as you found it. Or I'll have Cyrus Shaw reassemble you."
"Yes, sir. Right away, sir." Perry retreated, and returned minutes later with the patched-up check trembling between his fingers. He moved to give it to David.
"Not to me," David said. "To him."
Perry turned to Aiden and gave a small, stiff bow. "My sincerest apologies, sir."
"You're fired," David said. "Get out."
"Sir, please—"
Aiden held up a hand. "Next time, be more careful before you make assumptions about people. You never know who you're going to piss off."
Perry left without another word.
* * *
Once the door had closed behind him, Ben turned to Aiden. "After you cash that, how would you like to go car shopping?"
"This check is only for ten thousand. That's not going to buy much of a car."
"Don't worry about that — I've already taken care of it." Ben reached into his breast pocket and produced a business card. World Motors. "Go there when you're done here. They'll be expecting you."
Aiden looked at the card. "Thanks, Ben. Really."
Ben smiled. "Don't mention it. Besides — once you've taken the Tiger Group back from Maximilian, you can pay me back."
* * *
On the other side of Chicago, far from the marble corridors of Broadway Bank, Dominic Grayson was having a considerably more leisurely morning.
He lay beside the pool of his private mansion wearing dark sunglasses and a gold chain, a glass of whiskey balanced on the arm of his lounger. Two women in string bikinis flanked him on either side, talking quietly between themselves. Dominic wasn't listening. He rarely needed to.
One of his men slipped out through the back doors of the house and crossed the terrace at a brisk walk, bending close to murmur into his ear.
"Sir. We've just received word that The Tiger has returned."
Dominic said nothing for a moment. He reached for his cigar, lit it, and drew on it slowly, watching the smoke curl upward in the still morning air.
"Having someone on the inside of the Tiger Group," he murmured, almost to himself, "is proving very useful indeed."
He let out a long, quiet laugh — the kind that had nothing warm in it at all.