Zephyr barked out a laugh and she looked at him with a question in her eyes. “Your ex is quite the actor.”

“Oh, I think he’s every bit as despairing as he sounds and frankly, I understand why,” Piper responded.

“You feel sorry for him?” Zephyr demanded incredulously, his worry ratcheting up a notch.

“I know what it’s like to have your career ripped away by the careless words of someone else. I’d never wish that on even my worst enemy.”

“I have no problem wishing it on him,” Zephyr admitted in the spirit of complete honesty.

“Obviously.” She did not sound particularly condemning, but nor did she sound approving.

He couldn’t help morbidly wondering if their relationship was going to survive the revelation of the ruthless aspect to his nature. Though was it a revelation? She’d known his plans to fight for majority custody without him ever having to voice them.

Zephyr turned cold eyes onto the other man. “What did you hope to gain by coming here?”

Art looked like he was trying to decide how honest to be. Finally, shoulders slumped, he said, “Ideally Piper would convince you to say you’d been mistaken about my firm.”

“I do not lie.” And he sure as hell hoped she would not ask him to.

“I’d settle for you calling off the dogs.” Like he had any room to negotiate.

ask from Zephyr, but the request came with an inherent error in thinking. “I have not set any dogs on you. I did

certainly hadn’t offered favors

is my

is how I see

do anything to help me?” he

Zephyr let

don’t know what I

come back to

decisive, “Hell, no,” but he respected

even an ounce of maybe in

her denial. “Think about it, we can open up a West Coast

Piper

but claim bankruptcy and

melodramatic ass. A halfway decent management consultant could pull your company out of the red with a

if you keep blacklisting

to the other man. “In future, you tell the truth about Piper’s talent and abilities and I’ll do my best to avoid having

guess that’s the best

a consultant for your reorg.” See him be

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