Kane studied Bob's face, searching for the reason behind the sudden shift in conversation.
"If you're asking whether I'll keep your secret about the files, then yes." Kane's voice carried careful neutrality.
"What you've shared with me stays between us."
Bob's smile flickered—quick and strained, like sunlight through storm clouds. Something moved behind his eyes, a calculation that didn't match his usual enthusiasm.
"Right. Of course." Bob nodded, but his fingers drummed against the bench in a nervous rhythm.
"Just wanted to make sure we understood each other."
The response felt rehearsed, too smooth for someone who'd just risked his father's wrath to steal classified documents.
Kane's instincts prickled. Bob was hiding something—something bigger than stolen files or family disappointment.
But Bob's expression had already shifted back to its familiar warmth, that practiced charm sliding into place like a mask.
