Chapter 11 · Partner Track

The conference room door didn't knock. It just opened, and Cade Vane walked in like the carpet already belonged to him.

"Get him out," I said, before he'd taken three steps.

Warrick didn't move. Warrick, who ran this firm's name off his own signature, just sat there with his mouth half open like Cade had walked in wearing a crown instead of a five-thousand-dollar suit.

"Mr. Vane," Warrick said, "this is a closed session."

"I know what it is." Cade pulled out the chair across from me and sat like he'd been invited. "Partner vote. Cole's name's on the list."

"How do you—" I started.

"I have a seat on your compensation committee's biggest client list, Avery. I know everything on this floor before you do."

That landed like a slap. Twenty-two percent. That's what Vane Capital was to this firm. Twenty-two percent of billables, sitting three feet from me in a chair he wasn't supposed to have.

"This is inappropriate," I said, low, so the other partners at the far end of the table wouldn't catch every word. "You don't get to sit in on my review.