In Contract With the Billionaire

vered, did not announ

hand tightening around the throat while

t, she walked into the office to fi

ked. Not

la

he security gate hesitated before opening. T

the woman said

did

She didn't escalat

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essages she distinctly remembered flagging the night before. Her calendar ha

l th

ional

y, pulse controlled. Whoever was testing her

to see whether

di

lked straight t

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lt it,"

es

r to sit, but she

he said. "Not enough to cause d

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urs," s

w tigh

he said

rned back to her with a look she had never seen before-focuse

icipated," he said. "Which means ei

her arms. "W

t answer i

e told her

he said

es

n was clean.

remove me,

snapped to

ically, it's sound. Distance me. Red

er, his presence

ty," he said. "And worse-it wo

e. "And keeping m

tells them I don't y

they pus

. "Then they'll r

ted. "At w

idn't

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ion came tha

lert lit up her screen-an unauthorized request f

fr

she m

d her personal files, and walked swi

n't get

cepted her in

Neutral suits. Professional smiles

said pleasantly.

nstincts

" she repl

other said. "This

y-toward a glass-walled conference room. A

the door

e first man said, folding his ha

said n

ur... alignment," the second continued. "Specificall

hill spread th

uss my employ

smi

t asking a

e pres

ou want?"

ood has enemies. Powerful ones. People who beli

k I'm leverag

idn't

ntly. "Which means you're not in

ck in her chair

tilted his h

ould respond,

kwood sto

in the room dr

ing is ove

surprised-but

ere j

shed. His voice was calm. Dead

xchanged

l," one said carefu

miled

s personal. And you've

y l

oor c

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slowly, he

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d. "You expo

a boundary,

ropped. "Yo

pression

se con

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er di

Ellie was es

ally. Not

her outside the buildin

eed this,"

replied.

ated, the

was silen

ke. "You've cr

ook at her. "

t have to

d

hy

se allowing them to touch you would h

th caugh

late people a

ared a

n't?" she a

looke

e said. "Not

ar sl

ing shift irrever

inue," she said.

kno

at are w

the first time, he didn't

justing t

tment was

ally "for security review." The residen

primar

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ng in the space. Clean lines. Mini

appropriate

tical," To

e will

alread

ly. "You're risking reputa

" he

dropped.

ent," he said

oser. "Say it

eld he

ou," h

m like a declaration neither

ay awake in a guest room

tood the s

onger adjace

side its b

Todd Blackwood-had just proven that when forced to cho

ld cho

edge was e

errif

e watching them w

ould e

move would