POV: Sloane
Victor called in the morning. His voice was smooth. “Sloane, I want to invite you to dinner tonight. Private, exclusive, just business.”
I hesitated. “Business or strategy?”
He laughed softly. “A bit of both. You’ll thank me later.”
I said, “I’ll come, but if this is another pitch about power, I’m leaving.”
He replied, “You’ll want to stay when you hear what I have to say.”
I told Gabriel about the dinner. He frowned through the call. “He’s after control, not partnership.”
“I know what he’s like,” I said.
He asked, “Then why go?”
“Because I need to see what his next move is,” I said. “I won’t be caught off guard.”
He exhaled. “I’ll stay close. If anything feels off, leave.”
“I can handle him,” I said. “He’s not the first man to think I’m an easy target.”
At the res
