Page 24 of Takeover-

That was a pity. Sam liked Michael—too much. Missed their budding friendship horribly. The days weren’t as bright without Michael’s smile. Sam only had himself to blame for that. Had he been able to keep his needs in check, they wouldn’t be at this moment. The shower had been a disaster. The tightness in Sam’s chest twisted and stabbed, turning his words to gravel. “Then I’ll find someone who can.”

Michael wavered, then reached out and grabbed the server rack. “Are you firing me?”

“Not yet.” Sam didn’t look away. “But I will, if you get in the way of me protecting the ‘great and wickedly smart’ people who work for you.”

“You call this protecting them?” Michael let go of the rack and took a step forward. “Undercutting their time? Setting them up for an impossible task?” His voice boomed in the small room.

Sam didn’t wince, though the sound sent light flashing across his vision. “Once you’re finished being irate and you have two brain cells to rub together again, consider this—I got you three weeks when I knew you needed four. What do you think William wanted?” Sam watched Michael for a long moment, memorizing the play of expressions that passed over his face, then Sam turned and pulled open the server room door. He was most of the way down the hall before it thumped closed.

His lungs barely worked and people stepped out of his way as he passed. Too many.You’re a mess. Slow down. School your expression. He didn’t—couldn’t. The utter look of betrayal, of shame, he’d seen on Michael’s face bored into his skull with the same efficiency as the migraine.

Once in his office, he closed the door, then leaned his forehead against its cool surface.

He should have known better. No friends. No lovers—especially no lovers. This job precluded all of that because it required ruthlessness and precision. He could be fair and even kind, but attachment led to failure. For the sake of all Four Rivers employees, he had to succeed at this venture—their livelihoods depended on that. If it meant losing Michael? Well, in business, no one was irreplaceable.

No one.

Even the one man he most wanted to keep.