Page 126 of To the Chase

My jaw hung open. “Holy hell. The man has lost the entire plot, hasn’t he? What did he think would come from doing that?”

“Steering me. Always steering me.” Exhaling, he banged his head against the wood behind him. “He wanted you to give me attention two years ago so I’d agree to sign the DoD contract. He’d been right. It’d been the logical next step, and I’d been digging my feet in.”

I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter if he was right. He went about it the wrong way.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “But he’s always been this way. Not just with me. With everyone. He is single-minded and thinks he’s always right. Often, he is, but—”

“He doesn’t get to move you like a chess piece. What he did today was beyond the pale. It’s one thing to spring surprise investors on you at a dinner meeting. It’s shitty, but it’s business. But for him to meddle in your personal life—inmypersonal life? No, Sal. I don’t accept that. It’s not okay. And next time he gets pissy, the outcome could be far worse.”

“Beautiful,” he said, taking my face in his warm hands, “it isn’t okay, and there will not be a next time.”

I searched his face. Something in his expression cracked open a spot in my chest I didn’t know could ache like this. It wasn’t only anger. Grief was in the mix, darkening his gaze.

His oldest friend had absolutely gutted him.

I slid my hands up his arms and cupped the back of his neck. “I know you’re handling it. I’m sure you’re three steps ahead.”

“I am.” His voice was firm but not defensive. He never tried to prove his competence to me; he simply stated facts. “I met with my lawyers this afternoon.”

“I’m glad you have a team.” I shifted, lowering my forehead to his. “I’m on your team too.”

He sucked in a ragged breath. “I don’t know how to process this,” he admitted. “On the one hand, I’m so angry, I don’t know how I’ll look at him tomorrow. On the other, I can’t believe it’s come to this. We built Nox together. We once shared a vision for the future. More than that, we were friends. At least, I thought we were.”

Myfingers slipped into his hair. “You were. I’m sure you were. People change. They get greedy, and some drop their masks, showing you what a piece of shit they are.”

“Yeah. I know about masks.” His jaw clenched. “It won’t be immediate. He still has board influence, so I can’t be reckless with this.”

“Have you ever been reckless a day in your life? You’ve got this, baby. And if you feel like you don’t, I’ll be here to remind you you do.”

His arms came around me fully, crushing me to his chest. “I didn’t want to believe he’d cross the line like this.”

“I know.”

“But he did.”

“Yes.” I nodded against him. “I’m sorry. So,sosorry.”

Silence stretched between us as his breathing evened out. The gears in his brain were still turning, probably plotting how he’d handle what was coming, rehearsing the things he’d say, how he’d act, preparing himself so there were no more surprises.

When he spoke, his voice was low. “My lawyers are working on a draft to restructure the voting rights. I’m consolidating—cutting off anything he can use to apply pressure. It’ll take a few weeks, but once it’s done, he’s out.”

He shuddered. As if it physically pained him. Even though I didn’t understand exactly what he meant, I knew it would be a huge deal when it happened, and I would be here. If he needed to lean, I’d hold him up.

“You have to do it. It’s not just about protecting yourself.” I touched his chest. “You’re protecting the whole company. The kids. Me.”

Hiseyes met mine. “Always you.”

I smiled, slow and sure. “I’m going to back you so hard, Salvatore Gallo. No one touches my man and walks away clean.”

He gave a broken laugh and rested his forehead against mine again. “If you weren’t on my side, I’d be terrified.”

“You like me mean, though, right?”

“I do.” He kissed me, long and deep, until we were both out of breath. “My beautiful, mean love.”

“Yeah…” Then I thought of something that made me giggle.

He raised a brow. “What’s so funny?”