woman in nurse's scrubs pushed a covered ca
n she closed the door. "Showtime," she whispered. "I
small device into the main console. It would loop Clara'
slid off the bed. Her legs felt weak. Shaky. She climbed into the hollow base o
it slid open. Cold New York air hit her face. Then they were in Seraphi
atpacking District. A big man with a scar across his eyebrow-Marco
glinted in the dim light. "The man I want you to meet... he's
g. High-class escort. She almost smiled. Too
ulsed through the floor. The air smelled like expensive perfume and secre
he disappeared
n't burn away the images. Braden's face. Chelsea's smi
rolled up to his elbows. Strong forearms. He polished a crystal glass
ri St
ubles for a night. To Clara's exhausted mind, that meant one thing. He'd a
on her. He saw a woman drinking alone. Shattered. Defi
The whiskey had loosened someth
d engagement ring Braden had given her. Cold. Hea
," she said. Her voic
the ring to her face. Something flickered in his eyes. Amusement.
ach. A look of deference on his face. Di
it in his palm. His voice was
. Pulled him down. Her lips met his. Not seduction. Rage. Grief. A
econd, all of it crashed through-Braden's betrayal, the lonely silence, the exha
y. Her fingers tightened on his tie. Knuckles white. She wasn't
whiskey and salt. Tear
his arms like she weighed nothing. Carried her through the parti
h something surprising-tenderness. Firm control. He stripped
mless. The first real sleep she'd had in weeks. Fo
nd fall. He knew nothing about her. But he
The man beside her was still asleep. Shame w
. She placed the diamond ring on the nightstand. Final paym
r click
reached over and picked up the ring. A slow, dangerous smile
buzzed. Ju
Velvet Rope's silent alarm triggered at 3:47 a.m. in the penthouse suite. The club owner tel
Watched the morning light catch its facets. "
ng fifteen minutes ago wearing a dress that costs more than the avera
said n
again. Theodore heard you declined the Denning merger dinner last week. He's not happy. If he
something underneath sharpened. "I didn't dec
ifference, an
t by Theodore. Not by anyone." He closed his fist
ognition against the exteri
thirty
ver asked me to run a background check o
. Crossed to the floor-to-ceiling window. Looked down at the
club with a diamond ring and a desperate kiss
er dangerous. A woman who
ain. Slipped it into his
would inherit was measured in billions. None of it mattered right now. All
at fracture of grief behind her gaze-and why a woman who could afford a
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