I sat on the edge of the bed in my small cabin, staring at the dark window. The company retreat was supposed to be relaxing. Team building. Hiking. Forced smiles around the fire. I hated every second of it.
My phone showed 11:47. Most people were already asleep or still drinking by the main lodge. I just wanted quiet.
Then the knock came.
Three hard taps. Not soft. Not polite.
I froze. Who the hell knocks this late?
I pulled my thin robe tighter and walked to the door. My heart was already beating faster than it should.
I opened it a crack.
Mr. Kane stood there.
Tall. Broad shoulders. Gray at the temples. That same hard look he wore in every meeting. The one that made junior staff stutter. He held a bottle of whiskey in one hand. No glass. Just the bottle.
“Miss Hale,” he said. Hi
