I felt a cold chill run down my spine at how easily he had uncovered my life.

“I had to drop out,” I said. “My personal circumstances changed.”

“James Donovan changed them,” Dante said, his voice flat.

Hearing my ex-partner’s name in this room made my chest tighten.

“That is none of your business,” I said.

“It became my business when I decided to hire you,” Dante replied.

He leaned forward, crossing his forearms on the dark wood.

“My organization is large, Sophia,” he said.

“The men who work for me are rough, and their lives are chaotic.”

“They have wives, girlfriends, and families who cannot handle the pressure of this life.”

“When those families break down, it creates security risks for me.”

“An angry wife talks to the police, or a stressed girlfriend makes a scene in public.”

I listened to him, the pieces of his proposal beginning to click together.

“You want me to act as a counselor,” I said.

“I want you to manage the human element of my business,” Dante corrected.