I let my fingers shake as I took the whiskey. “Thank you, Mr. Vance. Ms. Dunn said this meeting was crucial for the company. She said you had a lot of influence.”
“Valerie understands how this city works.” He settled back against the leather. “Deals happen between people willing to do what success requires.”
He lifted his own glass and waited for me to drink. I touched the whiskey to my lower lip, then placed it beside me. A water glass stood within reach, still sealed with a paper cap.
I set the whiskey down and took water instead. “She must trust you. Sending a junior analyst here alone is a risk.”
Marcus laughed. “She trusts me to get results. She has sent other girls from your team for these negotiations. Smart girls. Ambitious girls. They understood.”
“Understood what?”
He leane
