The Price of a Smile

Arthur didn't wait for an invitation; he seated himself in a leather armchair opposite them, opening his briefcase with deliberate, unhurried slowness.

""I'll keep this brief,"" Arthur said, smoothing a silk tie over his stomach. ""I understand you've taken a... personal interest in Ms. Parker, Hayes. That's fine. Romance is wonderful. But business is business.""

Donovan remained standing beside the fireplace, his arms crossed over his chest, his face an impassive mask of stone.

""Get to the point, Arthur,"" Donovan said, the temperature in the room dropping noticeably.

""The point is simple,"" Arthur said, pulling out a folded document and sliding it across the polished mahogany table. ""Your security firm has been bidding on the municipal dock expansion contract. My group controls the zoning board. If Ms. Parker happens to drop her impending civil harassment suit against my nephew—Derek—we might find ourselves favorably disposed toward your dock bids.""

Maeve stared at the paper, anger flaring hot and bright in her chest.

Derek had sent his uncle to bully her out of holding him accountable.

She opened her mouth to speak, ready to tear the paper to shreds, but Donovan raised a single hand, silencing her.

Donovan walked slowly toward the table, looking down at Arthur as if the man were an insect crawling across a priceless rug.

""You think a municipal dock contract is leverage against me?"" Donovan asked softly.

""It's worth forty million dollars, Hayes,"" Arthur replied, his smile slipping just a fraction under Donovan's unblinking gaze.

""And your entire real estate portfolio is leveraged against three commercial banks in Boston that my holding company quietly bought out last month,"" Donovan replied smoothly.

Arthur’s face drained of color in an instant.

""You didn't,"" Arthur breathed, half-rising from his chair.

""Let's find out,"" Donovan said, reaching for his phone.