The CEO Above My Desk Chapter 203

***Rowan***

By the time I stepped back into the waiting room after finishing the phone call about the housing project, I already had three new headaches.

City council was scrambling.

Federal oversight was slowing permit authorization.

And now everybody suddenly wanted meetings with me because apparently exposing corruption made people dramatically more cooperative overnight.

Funny how that worked.

Still though… The project wasn’t dead. That mattered.

The development company handling the housing expansion confirmed construction prep was still moving forward and once the city council stabilized after Hargrove’s arrest, approvals should continue without much issue.

For the first time in weeks, the project actually had a real chance again.

I rubbed one hand tiredly across my jaw while walking back toward the waiting area.

Then my phone buzzed.

I glanced down automatically and immediately stopped walking.

Email Forwarded:

Ultrasound Appointment Confirmation

Wednesday — 11:00 AM

Below it was Violet’s little message:

*Camille scheduled hers too. 9am tomorrow. Tell Theo before she cries over baby socks again.*

My chest did something strange.

I stared at the confirmation email for another second longer than necessary before looking up toward the waiting room.

Violet sat beside Camille still talking quietly while Camille aggressively scrolled through baby websites like she was preparing for a military operation instead of motherhood.

The second Violet noticed me looking at her, her expression softened slightly.

Something warm settled low in my chest immediately.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow we’d hear the heartbeat.

Jesus Christ.

That suddenly felt terrifying. And amazing. Mostly terrifying.

I crossed the waiting room quickly afterward before leaning down slightly beside Violet’s chair. “You should’ve waited for me.”

Her eyebrows lifted immediately. “To click confirm on a website?”

“Yes.”

“That’s dramatic.”

“I’m serious.”

Her mouth twitched slightly.

Behind her, Camille sniffled loudly again while staring at a picture of infant overalls.

I sighed deeply. “Where’s Theo?”

“Still with Devin.”

Of course he was.

I straightened again before heading back toward the emergency room hallway while opening the confirmation email one more time like somehow staring at it longer would make this feel more real.

Wednesday.

9 AM.

11 AM.

Holy shit.

By the time I stepped back into Devin’s room, one of the nurses was carefully wrapping his ribs while Theo paced near the far wall looking deeply stressed out.

Devin looked exhausted. And medicated. Mostly medicated honestly.

Theo glanced up immediately. “What did the city say?”

“Permits are still delayed but development is moving forward.”

Theo visibly relaxed slightly. Good.

Then I added casually, “Also Camille booked her ultrasound for tomorrow morning.”

Silence. Absolute silence.

Theo blinked once. “…Tomorrow?” Then immediately, “Oh my God.”

Uh oh.

One of the nurses paused wrapping Devin’s ribs. The other looked deeply entertained already.

Theo started pacing harder now. “Oh my God, what if something’s wrong?” He pointed wildly toward the hallway. “She’s crying over sheep slippers, Rowan.”

Devin groaned from the hospital bed. “That honestly sounds normal for pregnancy.”

Theo looked horrified now. “What if I missed important pregnancy milestones already?”

The nurse nearest Devin physically stopped working to stare at him. “Sir,” she said carefully, “how long ago did you find out she was pregnant?”

Theo hesitated. “…like three days ago.”

The room went completely silent.

Then Devin started laughing so hard he immediately regretted it because pain shot across his face right afterward. “Oh my ribs. Fuck.”

One of the nurses snorted loudly while the other shook her head.

“You’re doing fine,” she assured Theo gently. “Trust me. The fact you’re panicking this much already means you care.”

“That doesn’t feel reassuring.”

“It’s not supposed to.”

Theo dragged both hands through his hair now before looking toward me desperately.

“What if I’m bad at this?”

I stared at him for a second.

Then shrugged slightly.

“We’ll probably both be terrible.”

Devin pointed weakly from the bed.

“That’s the spirit.”

Theo looked deeply offended.

Before I could say anything else though, my phone started vibrating again.

Unknown Number.

Immediately my stomach tightened.

I answered quickly before stepping slightly farther toward the hallway. “Ashcroft.”

“Rowan, it’s Bennett.”

My entire posture shifted instantly. “What happened?”

“I need you to listen carefully.” That tone alone told me enough.

“We have confirmation that Marcus Hale was working for Hargrove.”

I went completely still. No. Marcus Hale was FBI and an old friend.

“What?”

“He’s gone,” Bennett continued sharply. “And so is Asher West.”

Well. Fuck.

I rubbed one hand slowly over my face while glancing back toward Devin’s room. “Bennett, Asher showed up at Devin’s apartment this morning.”

Silence. Then, “What?”

“He assaulted him.” I lowered my voice slightly. “Broken ribs probably. We’re currently at the hospital.”

Behind me, Theo immediately straightened after hearing Bennett’s name.

I continued quietly. “He was asking questions about the investigation and whether the FBI could directly tie him to Hargrove.”

Another pause. Then Bennett cursed softly under her breath. “We’re launching a manhunt immediately.”

My jaw tightened. “You think they’re together?”

“I think two desperate men with federal exposure are dangerous regardless.” Papers shuffled faintly on her end. “Listen to me carefully, Rowan. Increase security around Violet immediately.”

Already done mentally.

“She’s not staying in the city tonight,” I answered instantly.

“Good.”

Her voice softened slightly afterward. “And Rowan?”

“Yeah?”

“Hargrove is no longer being held inside the police department.”

That caught my attention immediately.

“She’s federal custody now,” Bennett continued. “Transported less than twenty minutes ago.”

And suddenly I remembered Violet standing in the executive lobby demanding Avery not be left there.

*Don’t put her in that station.*

*She’ll disappear.*

Bennett exhaled quietly. “I gave Violet my word,” she said calmly. “I intend to keep it.”

I ended the phone call slowly before lowering the phone away from my ear.

The hospital hallway suddenly felt very small.

Very loud.

Very unsafe.

Marcus Hale.

Federal agent.

On Hargrove’s payroll.

Jesus Christ.

That meant every piece of this case now had to be questioned again.

What he leaked.

Who he warned.

What he knew about Violet.

About the company.

About the babies.

My jaw tightened immediately at that last thought.

No.

Absolutely fucking not.

I turned back toward Devin’s hospital room slowly.

Theo was already staring at me waiting for answers while Devin looked exhausted against the elevated hospital bed with one arm wrapped protectively around his ribs.

Even the nurses paused slightly.

“That didn’t look good,” Theo said carefully.

“No,” I answered honestly. “It wasn’t.”

Theo immediately straightened. “What happened?”

I stepped fully back into the room before sliding my phone into my pocket again. “Hargrove had somebody inside the FBI.”

The room went dead silent.

One of the nurses whispered, “Oh my God.”

Theo looked furious all over again. “So what now?”

I looked between both of them quietly for a second before finally asking, “You two up for a little vacation?”