She slid a few key asset files into her leather tote bag,
The binder lay open, pages spilling onto the floor. A half-eaten salad wilted in its
the button for the elevator, the smooth descent to
her car, her phone began to vibrate relentlessly.
ave you
ulative li
ME
before she finally tapped it. It took
with unshed tears. The caption was a masterpiece of passive aggression: "A tough first day in the corporate world. It's hard when p
ood of messages from New York's socialite
r kid is p
s to get
st don't belon
ring to life with a turn of the key. She navigated the labyrinth of the pa
heavy velvet doors. The interior was dark and intimate, a sanctuary of soft jazz a
on the table. "I want to post every ugly photo I have of he
gin a welcome jolt to her senses. "I'm selling t
d. "All of it? The Cartier bracelet? The diamond earr
cold liquid slid down her throat. "This is going to be a long,
gered toward their booth. The man was heavyset, his expensive suit strai
ing her uncomfortably. He grinned, revealing teeth stain
ognized him. It was Doug Hicks. Sienna's uncle. A man known
eyes raking over Chloe's body. "The little orphan who's making
. "Get lost, Doug. Now.
play poker with the owner of this joint. And Brad West is a
forward, his thick, sausage-like fingers clamping around Chloe
The stench of his breath was nauseating. "My niece is a delicate flower. You keep me
hand back, but his grip was brutally strong. T
le, crept toward the heavy glass asht
abbed her own heavy clutch, pre
ng speed. He shoved her hard with his free arm. Stella
last of Chloe's restraint. The fear vani
nuckles turning white. She was about to brin
en in dark suits, Brad's personal bodyguards, were parting the crowd like the Red Se
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