Marcus stepped forward to block them, his hand reaching for his security badge.

I raised my hand slightly to stop him.

“Let them up,” I murmured.

Graham climbed the steps first, his posture stiff and his hands trembling.

“Jocelyn,” he whispered, his voice cracking as he reached the edge of my table. “What is this? What are you doing here?”

Gloria pushed past him, her face tight with a mixture of anger and rising panic.

“Is this some kind of sick joke?” Gloria demanded, keeping her voice low so the mayor wouldn’t hear. “How did you get a seat at this table?”

I looked down at my water glass, then up at them, keeping my face perfectly expressionless.

“I bought the table, Gloria,” I said, my voice calm and clear. “In fact, I bought the building your office is in last Tuesday.”

Graham gasped, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the edge of the mahogany table.

“Jocelyn, please,” Graham muttered, leaning closer. “We need to talk in private. My business—the bank is calling in the loans.”

“I know,” I said. “I bought those loans, too.”