[Back to present timeline.]
"Why are you here?" Gregoris said, like Maximilian's presence in his office was the most irritating thing that had happened to him all week.
Max was sprawled on Gregoris's expensive sofa as if it belonged to him, his jacket open, one ankle resting on the opposite knee, his expression blandly pleased in the exact way he knew would annoy Gregoris.
"Adam had to return to the south for the archives again," Max said. "He took Noah too."
Gregoris leaned back and tapped his desk once, twice, with measured irritation. "And what does that have to do with me?"
Max's mouth twitched. "Because you and I were assigned to the Goliath mess."
Gregoris's eyes narrowed. "Assigned."
