Contracted By Scandal: It All Began With A Kiss

n road, weaving through the city's shimmering night. Her breath was still un

hell had

othing to erase the phantom sensation of Damien Blackwood'

t, to wipe the memory clean before it tang

rld wouldn

her woul

every breath too shallow, too fast.

she s

blac

away from the hotel, lurking just far enou

was foll

the driver. He was humming along to the radio, o

n't just

s hap

er her, might b

, exposing herself like that and now Se

UV and that looked expensive, might be D

course he would. She hadn't just embarrassed him-she had dr

n Blackwood didn't

ack car still trailing them at a steady

it

ed to lo

n you drop me a few blocks from my s

a brow but didn't ar

she had. If she could slip into the alleys near her apartment, cut throu

dimly lit street c

slipping a few bills i

ht air, pulse hammering. The SUV

sto

her every movement controlled, precise. She could feel the SUV

d they'

they'll

knew this city better than most. The winding alleyways, th

uld di

d-if she was

*

ned into a narrow passage between two buildings,

ar door

were

d, but she didn't

the scent of rain lingering in the air. She dodged past a stack o

ind her now-heavy foots

s Ha

was deep.

Da

ne workin

ough her veins.

re through another alley, her lungs burning. She was close to the b

little

wrapped aro

her throat as she was yanked backward

ed, his grip like iron.

olently in his hold. She w

in the ribs. He cursed, his grip loos

he spun-and kneed h

in agony, coll

didn'

e

the alley, bursting onto an empty street. A single streetlamp

close-three blocks

th, forcing herself t

hat threaded behin

, black

enger do

Blackwood s

stomach

haos she'd caused. His stance was compose

onto her with qui

erything narrowing down

ak right away

t watc

who had finally

La

as tr

said. His voice w

gers twitching at her

d at the corner of his lips.

lse sk

doubt him f

man who never repeated himself.

ready crossed h

between them, th

carefully-L

epped

ar, her movements m

shut be

red to life, driving

e had just walke

was no tur

Damien Blackwood sat beside her ins

is the ow

enough to make him look dangerously at ease. But

ground. "You do realize stalking

a brow. "So

h

e of calm. "You have exactly thirty seconds to explain what the

igning confidence. "I wa

icked. "T

e you an ex

air shifted, thick with unspoken tension. "You kisse

erself for the impulsive move.

behind it. "You call that a misunderstanding? You

shot back before she

His gaze sharpene

, she'd be as good as dead. But if she pl

are talking about." she said innocently. "I was just invited by a f

ink I'm a fool? You've got two choices, you ei

e blurted out, "I don't know," she admitted. "I

readable. "And you acce

h options?" she snapped, th

g close to curiosity. "Desperation makes people reckless.

ly. "I was only supposed to gather intel

de. "And yet, instead of informatio

t your security drag m

ps. "You really don't know wh

wn her spine.

without touching her. "If I wanted to ruin you

k under his gaze. "T

in his jaw. He

ing. If you're lying to me–if I find out you're working for someone I don't like, you won't

ed her fist

ong moment, then press a b

t" he o

d over his shoulder. "You're in over your head,

e car s

her pulse hammeri

rely escap

d her this was on