The CEO Above My Desk (Mckenzie Shinabery) novel Chapter 156

The CEO Above My Desk

Chapter 156

Rhodes studies me again.

He is listening now.

Finally.

“This was staged,” I say. “Calder wasn’t killed because someone wanted him punished. He was killed because

someone was afraid he would talk.”

“And you know this how?” Rhodes asks.

“Because killing him helps everyone except me.”

The room goes quiet.

I let it..

Then I lean forward, resting my forearms on the table.

“You’re not investigating a murder,” I say calmly. “You’re looking for someone convenient to blame before the rest

of this department starts bleeding secrets.”

The door opens before either detective can answer.

Marcus Vale steps in.

No knock. No apology. No wasted movement.

His gaze moves from Harris standing half out of his chair, to Rhodes’s tight expression, then to me.

He sighs. “Of course.”

Harris turns. “Agent Vale, we’re in the middle of an interview.”

“No,” Marcus says. “You’re in the middle of making my job harder. Step out.”

Harris stiffens. “This is our case.”

Marcus looks at him.

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Nothing else.

Just looks.

Harris shuts his mouth.

Rhodes rises first, smarter than his partner. “We’ll be outside.”

“Good,” Marcus says.

The door shuts behind them.

For the first time since I entered this room, the air changes.

Marcus walks to the opposite side of the table but doesn’t sit. “You really can’t help yourself, can you?”

“I was being cooperative.”

“You were baiting Harris into a coronary.”

“He made it easy.”

Marcus exhales through his nose, unimpressed. “This is bigger than you think.”

“No, it isn’t.”

His eyes sharpen. “Yes, Rowan. It is.”

I stand slowly.

He doesn’t move.

Good.

We’ve known each other too long for posturing to mean much, but we both do it anyway.

“Whoever killed Calder knew exactly how to make you look guilty,” Marcus says. “They knew about Violet. Drew.

The docks. Your motive. Your temper. Your reach.”

“My temper is controlled.”

Marcus’s mouth tightens. “Your attachment to her isn’t.”

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That word settles between us.

Attachment.

Like Violet is a weakness.

Like she is something that can be removed, leveraged, exploited.

My voice drops. “Don’t.”

Marous holds my stare. “You’re not thinking cleanly.”

“No,” I say. “I’m thinking precisely.”

“You married her today.”

“Yes.”

“You moved her into a secured property.”

“Yes.”

“You escalated a corruption investigation to federal level, fired your security team, relocated your entire group,

and threatened half the local power structure in less than twenty–four hours.”

I pause. “Your point?”

“My point,” Marcus says, stepping closer, “is that every move you make right now is personal.”

I smile, but there’s no warmth in it. “That doesn’t make it wrong.”

“It makes it predictable.”

That bothers me.

Not visibly.

Never visibly.

But it lands.

Predictable means vulnerable.

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Predictable means someone can plan around me.

Predictable means Violet can be used to move me.

Marcus sees the flicker. He always was annoyingly good at that.

“There it is,” he says quietly. “You know I’m right.”

“You’re right that they used her.”

“And they’ll keep using her if you react every time they touch the board.”

Something cold slides through my chest.

I step closer, voice quiet. “If anyone touches her again, the board won’t matter.”

Marcus stares at me for a long moment.

Then his expression shifts.

Not softer.

More serious.

“That’s what I’m worried about.”

“I don’t care what worries you.”

“You should.”

“I don’t.”

He lets out a hard breath. “Damn it, Rowan. I’m trying to keep you out of a cell long enough to take down the

people who actually did this.”

“Then stop treating me like a suspect.”

“You are a suspect.”

My jaw tightens.

“Legally,” he adds. “Temporarily. Procedurally. Don’t make it permanent by acting like an arrogant bastard.”

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Chapter 156

“I am an arrogant bastard.”

“Yes,” he says flatly. “But usually a strategic one.”

Comments

Samantha Henton

Love this book it’s so good can’t wait for more!

7 cays ago

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