Free The Dangerous Seduction by A N Bond

millimeters from his own, their elbows practically grazing.
    “Look, I see what you’re saying,” Cartwright says. “I’m not dumb.”
    “Yes, you are,” says Joseph, cutting into the conversation. “You’re going to sacrifice your daughter’s future for Jack McNeil. That’s dumb if you ask me.”
    “It’s not dumb if you know Jack McNeil,” Cartwright says, but he breaks off suddenly and clamps his mouth shut, wrenching his gaze away from them.
    “Oh really?” says Joseph, leaning in close. “What do you know about Jack McNeil?”
    “Enough to know that I’m not getting involved with this case,” Cartwright snaps back. He’s even more on edge than before, the nerves radiating off him like the beads of sweat forming on his temples. “You’ve got nothing, you know that. Jack beat the government case. What makes you think you’re gonna do any better?”
    “Because the government case didn’t have me working it. I play to win and I always win,” Joseph says matter-of-factly.
    Cartwright snorts. “You won’t win this. And you can’t make me testify.”
    Joseph looks at him for a long moment; then he sighs and sits back in the booth, elbow knocking against Ryan’s. “You’re right. I can’t make you do anything. But when we do win—and we are going to win—all your ex-coworkers stand to gain back what they lost plus some extra if I have my way. That means Notre Dame for your daughter, and who knows what for your son? Dartmouth? It’s your alma mater. I imagine you’ve always wanted to see him go there. His test scores are definitely good enough, far too good for the local community college.”
    Cartwright hesitates, his shoulders hunching inward and gaze dropping to the table top, to the spill of sugar crystals across the shiny Formica. “You don’t get it,” he says, and his voice is a murmur. Ryan strains to hear him. “If I testify, then I could stand to lose a helluva lot more—and I’ve already lost enough. I can’t do that to my family.” He gets up with a jerk, knees bumping against the underside of the table, making their cups and silverware clatter noisily. “I’m sorry. I wish you luck with it, I really do. You’re gonna need it. I hope they all get what they deserve, but I can’t be a part of it. I just can’t.”
    “Shit.” Joseph blows out a breath as they watch the guy book it out of there. He tosses a couple of sugar packets onto the table in a gesture of annoyance. “Fuck it.”
    “I didn’t realize before just how damn shady McNeil really is,” Ryan murmurs.
    Joseph cuts him a look. “I thought you said you’d read all the briefs?”
    “Well, yeah, course, but that corporate fraud and insider trading shit, that’s one thing. Most big corporations are trying to screw over the government and the IRS and their workforce in the most technically legal way they can. But this guy’s seriously running scared. This is something else.”
    “You think someone like Jack McNeil wouldn’t resort to taking care of inconvenient witnesses if he had to? Think about how much he stands to lose here, Ryan.”
    “I guess, but, still….” He lets the words trail away.
    He can feel Joseph’s eyes on him again, scrutinizing him, and he raises his eyes to Joseph’s face. He can see the exact shade of Joseph’s eyes in the diner’s harsh strip lighting, see the faint lines and creases spiderwebbing out from the corners of his eyes, the small patch of hair glinting golden-brown just by his sideburn where he must’ve missed shaving that morning. Joseph’s mouth is slightly parted, lips soft and pink, and he’s so damn close that Ryan would only have to lean in. Joseph’s gaze narrows in on Ryan’s lips, his eyes getting darker and more intent.
    Ryan clears his throat and jerks his head away, a flush blossoming crimson across his cheeks, an uncomfortable rush of heat churning in his gut. “I’m just gonna take a leak,” he stammers, and he slides out of the