Cassidy kept Alexander's gaze, and her heart raced in her ears. She had been in difficult circumstances before, like staring down politicians or entering into boardrooms full of men who thought they could scare her, but this was worse. He was better than anyone else. The air was too dense and the room was too small. Alexander Cross was more than just strong. He wasn't merely a threat. He was something else entirely something more planned, more thought out, and harder to read than anyone she had ever met. Cassidy, on the other hand, realized he was affected. She could tell by the way his jaw was tense and the way his fingers curled slightly against his desk. He was trying to be calm, but she had gotten to him. She answered, "You don't scare me, Mr. Cross," in a calm voice. Alexander's lips curled up in a way that looked like he was amused, but his eyes were too dark. "No?" His voice was too soft for comfort. "That was your first mistake." She felt a shudder down her spine, but she sat up straight in her chair. She wasn't going to let him mess with her head. "I came here to give you a chance," she added. "To give you a chance to explain yourself before I tell the world what I know." "You came here to accuse me of crimes I didn't do," he said, his voice silky but hard. "That means you either have a plan or you don't know what you're doing." Cassidy's grip on the file on his desk got tighter. "I know exactly what I'm doing." He sat back in his chair and looked at her like she was a puzzle he was trying to figure out. "You wouldn't be here if that were true." The way he spoke made her think twice. She thought they would say no, or maybe even try to trick her. But this was different. His assurance made me feel uneasy. She said, "You're bluffing," to see if he was lying. "You think I will give up." He let out a calm, measured breath, as if he were talking to a kid who was being impatient. "Miss Lane, if I wanted you to back down, you wouldn't have even made it up here." She felt her gut tighten, but she didn't let it show. "And yet, here I am." A flash of something admiration? He seemed amused, but she couldn't be sure because it was gone so quickly. "For now." Cassidy leaned in and spoke quietly. "Please tell me, Mr. Cross. If you're not part of the human trafficking ring, why are there money transfers going back to your business? Why do your private shipments not show up in the books? Why are people going missing when you're on duty? He didn't say anything. Not right away. Instead, he stood up, walked over to the huge window that went from floor to ceiling, and looked out at the city skyline as if he were thinking about something much bigger than the talk they were having. When he eventually spoke, his voice was lower. "Do you really think you know everything, Cassidy?" She gasped as he pronounced her name because it sounded so deliberate and intimate, like he was exploring how it felt on his tongue. "I have enough of the story," she remarked, making herself stay focused. His face was unreadable when he turned. "No." You don't. Cassidy squinted her eyes. "Then teach me." The silence between them was long and heavy. Then, at last, he added, "Miss Lane, there are things in this world that are bigger than you." More than me. You won't simply be putting yourself in danger if you keep digging. You will be putting everyone you love in jeopardy. A warning. A threat. But there was something else below it that was raw. Was it worry? "I don't fear you," she murmured, but the words didn't sound as convincing today. Alexander sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Maybe you should be." The way he said it made her stop for a second. There was no arrogance or show-off. It was almost... sad. Cassidy shook her head. "If you want me to believe that you're not responsible for what's going on, you'll have to do better than vague warnings." He looked at her for a long time before going back to his work. "You think I'm involved," he said. "That I run this business." "You don't?" she asked. His jaw got stiff. "No." She looked at him closely, trying to find any hint that he was lying. "Then why do the transactions lead back to your business? Why are you-- He cut in with a harsh voice, "Because I'm cleaning up a mess I didn't make." Cassidy's breath stopped. "What?" She noticed something in his eyes for the first time. Anger. A hint of something deeper and darker. "Do you really think I would let that happen in my house?" he questioned. "That I'd make money from it?" "Do you really think I'm going to believe you're innocent?" She laughed. He yelled, "I expect you to think before you make accusations that could get you killed." Cassidy's hands turned into fists. "So, this is what this is? Now you're threatening me? He let out a breath through his nose, clearly holding back. "No, Cassidy." I'm giving you a caution. She didn't like it when he called her by her name. She hated that it made her shudder, even if she didn't want it to. "I don't need your warnings," she responded in a forceful voice. "You need something," he said in response. "Because right now, you're on the edge of a cliff and don't even know it." Cassidy would not give up. "If you're so innocent, show me. Give me something. Anything. Alexander looked at her, but his expression was unreadable. "Do you need proof?" "Yes." His lips were squeezed together into a narrow line. He then reached into the drawer of his desk, pulled out a small USB drive, and slid it over the table after a long delay. Cassidy thought about it before picking it up. "What is this?" "Proof," he said simply. She frowned. "Of what?" He looked into her eyes. "That you're going after the wrong bad guy." Her heart raced. "And why should I believe you?" "You shouldn't," he replied as he stepped back. "But if you really want to know the truth, you'll watch it." Cassidy looked at him with mixed feelings. This was not how she thought the meeting would go. She had come here ready to fight. But she was leaving with more questions than answers. One thing was evident, though: Alexander Cross was hiding something. A big thing. And for the first time since she started looking into this, Cassidy wasn't sure she was ready for the truth. But she would find it. No matter how much it cost her.