Chapter 32 Force of Will

***Gideon***

I close the door to my office and turn back just as Harrison Croft offers his hand.

I take it.

His grip is firm. Measured. Not the kind of man who overcompensates.

“Croft,” I say.

“Thorne,” he replies easily. “Been a while.”

“It has.”

He looks exactly the same as the last time I saw him—neutral suit, no visible branding, expression sharp without being aggressive. He’s the kind of man