Chapter 39

Tristan casually added, as if it were an afterthought, "As for Grandpa using those shares to pressure you into having a child, I can handle that too. After this, you won't have to worry about anything. And I can even help you secure the shares." The car rolled to a stop outside Genevieve's studio. She reached for her seat belt, but the man beside her suddenly leaned in. His presence closed around her in an instant, that same crisp cedar filling the space until it felt as though there was nowhere to breathe. Genevieve's body went rigid. She shifted back toward the door on instinct, her eyes sharp with warning. Tristan stopped with a clear gap between them. His gaze held hers in the dark, steady and unreadable, but he didn't move closer. Instead, he reached past her, opened the glove compartment, and pulled out a thick document envelope. "Relax. This is just me paying a little upfront." He held it out to her. "Call it a welcome gift for my new ally." ... Regina returned to her a