Contracted By Scandal: It All Began With A Kiss

into her apartment, sh

was now vibrating non-stop inside her clutch. She ignored it

he wall, a small kitchen with an overflowing sink, and a desk covered in s

felt lik

le, running a hand through her hai

ssed

few from an old contact, Dean. Someone she hadn't spoke

m her

, then swiped

one waitin

ed to get information

wallowed hard, hands tig

ugh before she could e

it. Or you

rawled up

took it thinking she was going to get it done swiftly. He had wanted something on Damien Bla

g them information, she ha

ated again-thi

the screen, p

the messages. But she knew better. Her boss was on the

ky breath, s

le

, quiet, and edge

f in a very dangero

wed. "I ca

ckle. "Oh

forcing calm into her v

use.

hours or yo

ne wen

staring at the dark screen a

just about D

an even big

survive it or else sh

pressing down on her like a vice. Forty-eight hour

dn't just let her slip through the cracks. They had resources, re

she had only

d to f

he mess of papers and files she had accumulated over the past few weeks. Names, transactions,

had to be

laptop. The screen glowed to life, casting eerie shadows across the room. S

n, she

al, the kiss, the photographs, the headlin

Greg, she answered

st got

mean?" The li

n, she

er, she

, the kiss, the photograph

sources. Scrolled through the gossip columns that

th

f it had ne

person had the power to eras

mi

is was a statement. He hadn't just silenced the press; he had

pulse h

h

wasn't do

And that meant he was waiting. Wa

the door sent her

eath h

la

alrea

ckwood wou

n on the other side o

mean it was an

sk. Her instincts screamed at her to ignore it, to act like

s one is slower an

ently toward the door. Peering through

e

the life she swore she'd never return to. And yet, here he was, standi

d and unloc

pen before Dean pus

he door behind him. His gaze swept over the room, landing

arms. "What are

ng her a look. "W

. "You saw

his disheveled hair. "No, I got a

kno

e intended, but she was past prete

ily. "You need to

und. "And go where? You

you're smar

isappear, Dean. If I run, he'll just come af

she'd lost her mind. "Th

dn't a

hat was exactly

s breath. "You think

his perfect little world. And I think if I play my

morless laugh. "Jesus.

dn't d

sideways, Damien Blackwood

ran away from years ago

*

stries, staring up at the towering glass building t

, but he hadn't contacted her. He

here s

appointment confirmation. A stolen access code. Slippin

of

assistant's desk was empty. A

rply, then pushe

ack to her, phone in hand. The skyline stretche

urn around

e pers

g the doors close behind he

his gaze locking onto

er jaw. "That

s head. "No,

retched be

o the chair in fron

d. Then, slow

he chair across from her. He steepled his finger

ing to say," he

elp, some people are after me. Might be

link. "That's n

ed. "It c

usement crossed

ued. "Someone out there wants something

watching her with unsettling calm

This was the mom

. "Nothing. Becaus

his lips. "Flattery won

ed to flatter you. I need

r for a long mome

I should pr

es

huckled. "You must

ow I don't have much levera

d a brow. "A

now they would do anyth

his expression shift

his at

tch me. Or you can use me to figure o

was s

he delibera

the desk, stoppin

still as he leaned down, his

ng a dangerou

hundered. "

of si

en

en murmured.