His Contract Bride, The Real Heiress

veway. It coughed exhaust fumes into the face of the gilded architecture that was "The Sterling

een more mud than polish, hit the ground with a dull thud that seemed to offend the silence of the Upper East Side. She wore a flannel shirt that had bee

d. It was impenetrable. It was exactly the kind of place that would chew

they t

of wool socks and thermal underwear, were components of a dismantled, vintage HAM radio receiver-or at least, that's what they looked like und

the taxi she had just exited, stepped into her path. He didn't speak. He just held up a

e said, his voice flat. He didn't loo

ocket and pulled out a piece of paper. It was folded into a small square, the e

voice was a carefully constructed instrument-a soft, slightly drawling

ttom. His posture collapsed. The arrogance drained

e. I... my apolog

ast him before he could finish h

hed bronze of the elevator doors. For a split second, the mask slipped. Her eyes, usually wide and naive for her role, narro

the. Forty seconds to remember that she wasn't Serena Vane, the gho

open directly

terling wa

ss, the condensation dripping onto her fingers. She didn't move as Serena stepped out of the elevator. She just watch

r voice was like breaking glass.

ck her clothes. She didn't blush. S

s probably just the taxi. Manhatta

rling. "I'm sure it does. I assume you have

ndfather's old radio parts

with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Stella. Julian's stepsister. The o

over. She circled Serena, sniffing theatrically. "S

nal, a shared joke at the expense of the idiot

a's. The contact was recoil-inducing, but Serena let her muscles go limp

y. Stella chattered about the "burden" of the estate, the "stress" of the upcoming gala

of a massive double door

said, opening the do

ity. The bed was a king-sized island of white linen. But the air... the air smelled of sandalwood and c

est room. This w

sked, widening her eyes.

th, practiced. "He believes in... building intimacy quickl

e home, find a stranger in his bed, and the resulting explosion would likely en

he saw the anticipation tw

, stepping inside.

weet dreams

ard a suppressed giggle from the

e seconds. Then s

locked the false bottom of the bag, revealing the sleek, black matte surface of her

e: $5,000,000,000.00

iquid Funds

ds she had hacked into during the taxi

scarred, and dangerous. She walked into the bathroom-a space larger than her entire cab

, texturizing gel to her hands and face. It dried instantly, leaving her skin feeling rougher, loo

e flannel back on. The

rowled. A low

penthouse was silent. She found the kitchen, a stainless

wn the counter. She

a said, leaning aga

where Victoria was likely holding court. "I... The kitchen is closed,

hungr

nything without

l in the center of the island. It was filled with per

cked o

sped. "Those are f

her flannel shirt. She took

the noise. She stared at Serena, at the app

ria hissed. "You are eating a d

looked Victoria dead in the eye, her ex

ke an apple,"

d back toward the bedroom,

rumbled in the distance, vibrating against the glass. Serena finish

t the bed. J

an who had turned his family's legacy into an empire. The man she wa

lag, the acting, the

he covers-that felt like a violation too far. Sh

own her spine. A physiological reaction she couldn't place. It felt like dan

herself. Get the

osed h

vy footsteps echoed on the stairs. A man's voice,

lf was