“Maya, listen to me,” he said, his voice dropping to a low, hurried mutter.

He stepped directly into my path, blocking my view of the auditor who was currently speaking to one of our security staff near the double doors.

“We can fix this,” Daniel said. “We can fix all of this.”

“Can we?” I asked, tilting my head.

“Yes,” he said, nodding rapidly. “I know I’ve been distant. I know my mother and Claire… they haven’t always been kind to you.”

He paused, swallowing hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing above his tight silk collar.

“I was wrong,” he said.

The words seemed to pain him physically to speak.

“I didn’t defend you the way I should have,” Daniel continued, his hands twitching at his sides. “I let them treat you like an outsider. But we are husband and wife, Maya. That means something.”

I looked down at his polished leather shoes, then back up to his sweating forehead.

“Does it?” I asked.

“Of course it does,” he said, stepping even closer.

I could smell the expensive scotch on his breath, mixed with the sharp scent of cold sweat.