What the Greek's Money Can't Buy(31)

                On paper Giselle had seemed an efficient, healthily ambitious executive assistant, until Sakis’s rejection of her one late-night advance had unearthed a spiteful, cold-blooded, psychopathic nature that had threatened to destabilise his company’s very foundation.

                ‘On paper’ meant nothing if he couldn’t look into Lowell’s eyes, ask what had happened and get a satisfactory answer.

                ‘We need to find him, Moneypenny,’ he bit out, bitterness replacing the ice in his chest. ‘There’s too much at stake here to leave this unresolved for much longer.’ For one thing, the media would spin itself out of control if word of this got out. ‘Contact the head of security. Tell them to dig deeper into Lowell’s background.’

                Sakis looked up in time to see Brianna pale a little. ‘Is something wrong?’ he asked.

                Her mouth showed the tiniest hint of a twist. ‘No.’

                His gaze dropped to hands that would normally be flying over her tablet as she rushed to do his bidding. They were clasped together, unmoving. ‘Something obviously is.’

                Darkened eyes met his and he saw rebellion lurking in their depths. ‘I don’t think it’s fair to dig into someone’s life just because you have a hunch.’

                Her words held brevity that made Sakis frown. ‘Did you not suggest minutes ago that Lowell could be hiding something?’

                She gave a reluctant nod.

                ‘Then shouldn’t we try and find out what that something is?’

                ‘I suppose.’

                ‘But?’

                ‘I think he deserves for his life not to be turned inside out on a hunch. And I’m sorry if I gave you the impression that was what I wanted, because it’s not.’

                A tic throbbed in his temple. Restlessness made him shove away from the desk. His stride carried him to the window and back to the desk next to where she sat, unmoving fingers resting on her tablet.

                ‘Sometimes we have to bear the consequences of unwanted scrutiny for the greater good.’ As much as he’d detested the hideous fallout, having his father’s true colours exposed had ultimately been to his benefit. He’d learned to look beneath the surface. Always.

                She looked at him. ‘You’re advocating something that you hated having done to you. How did you feel when your family’s secrets were exposed to the whole world?’

                Shock slammed into him at her sheer audacity. Planting his hands on the desk, he lowered his head until his gaze was level with hers. ‘Excuse me? What the hell do you think you know about my family?’ he rasped.

                She drew back a touch but her gaze remained unflinching. ‘I know what happened with your father when you were a teenager. The Internet makes information impossible to hide. And your reaction to the tabloid hack’s question yesterday—’

                ‘There was no reaction.’

                ‘I was there. I saw how much you hated it.’ Her voice was soft with sympathy.

                The idea of being pitied made his fist tighten on the table.

                ‘And you think this should make me bury my head in the sand about Lowell?’

                ‘No, I’m just saying that turning his life inside out doesn’t feel right. Since you’ve been in his shoes—’