nan's bulletproof Ma
ghts of Manhattan. The air in the car was thick with the scent of Brennan's cologne. He sat on
t in Tribeca. It was a Michelin three-star estab
ed out into the crisp evening air. Brennan followed, h
gant dining room to a private VIP booth tucked away in the back. H
urved leather booth. Ar
ark, expensive red wine into
is dark eyes locked onto Arnetta. The corporate mask was gone, r
bout yourself, Miss Oliver. What drives a woman to end
w sip to buy time. She needed to steer the conv
er fabricated cover story. "I grew up with nothing. Vanguard is t
ed, a mocking smile touchi
ted. "Specifically, the strategie
w right through the pivot. He leaned fo
ally come from? A cheap suit and fake glasses don't hide the fact th
t. Even as 'Aura', she had never faced a mark who c
e, a violent buzzing shattered
face-up on the table, vibrated agg
he caller ID flashed
line for her 'paper marriage'-a union managed ent
r timing of the call, combined with Brennan's predatory scrutiny, created a lethal frictio
floor with a lou
ked down at the fork, then up at Arnetta's pal
nnan asked, his voice
ed the device from the floor, her thumb-slick with a bead of cold sweat-swiped the wrong directio
me was low, but in the dead quiet of
orted by a digital privacy filter,
woman. Stop dragging this o
ely jabbing at the screen to kill the audio. She slamm
hat followed
arms over his chest. The confusion on his
ing on his lips. "It seems your marri
t months trying to trace the ultimate beneficiary of her marriage co
rofessional persona. She loo
anger, "is a coward. A pathetic, spineless coward who
ly enjoying the show. He picked
een his face. The marriage was a legal maneuver for his family estate, handled by proxies. He treats me like a financial
d, clinical efficiency of the 'nothing' ultimatum-it was a
ppy," Brennan
igging into her palms. "He is a narcissistic sociopath. He t
a low, genuine chuckle. H
irony. "Any man who allows his legal threats to be broadcast in a public restau
, she actually felt a sliver of camaraderie with the tyrant sitting acr
in front of her was the very man who had signed the 'nothi
that he had just critiqued his ow
to a cold, calculating desire for revenge. She was
aid, grabbing her phone and standin
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