Across the desk, Liam’s boss, Marcus, watched her every move with an unsettling intensity that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. He took a slow step forward, blocking the only doorway out of the private office.
“I told you it wasn’t safe to talk over the phone,” Marcus murmured, his voice dropping to a low, menacing whisper that sent a shiver straight down Emily’s spine. 
…. 
Panic surged through Emily’s veins as she instinctively took a step back, her back hitting the cold glass of the office window overlooking the rainy street below. She looked down at the remaining contents of the file, noticing a series of hidden bank transfers and photographs showing her sister meeting secretly with a stranger near the edge of town. 
The evidence was undeniable, yet the terrifying realization that she was currently trapped alone with a man who knew far more than he was letting on completely paralyzed her. Marcus reached slowly into his tailored suit jacket, his expression hardening into something cold and calculating.
“Your husband was asking too many questions about the company’s financial records,” Marcus said smoothly, taking another calculated step closer to where Emily stood cornered against the glass. “And unfortunately for you, Emily, he shared way too much information with his beloved wife before he died.” 
Emily’s heart pounded like a trapped bird against her ribs as she desperately searched the desk for an escape route or something she could use to defend herself. Marcus pulled a heavy brass key from his pocket and slowly locked the heavy oak office door from the inside, clicking the deadbolt into place with a sickeningly final sound. 
