Bound by deception

it for the

I

e marble floors as I tear through the lobby. The stunned d

e burns i

to-be isn't who

ad. They rattle through my skul

roke into m

one wa

atc

ait

this, a warning I

, fists clenching. My chest heaves

Eth

ile

der. "Open th

oth

iver races

Th

Cl

oor swi

stands

Hair slightly tousled like he's

. Like he didn't j

the crumpled paper in my hands. His jaw

ck in t

t that?" His voice

oke into my apartment, Ethan!" M

linger over the edges, almost l

's seen i

oesn't

t even l

ulse p

you reall

ile

suffocati

Th

nally l

see freezes

conf

t an

even s

.. acce

moment was

new this wo

lips

that come next c

ll you, Is

es a ste

. Deli

rp and dangerous fills

never be ab

. A threat.

reath

back down. "

n watc

ng. Cal

exhales and

ollo

uth... o

me through t

oom. The sleek bar stocke

his o

asting long shadows agai

ind his desk,

ulse s

nife? Mo

nst

ls out a

. Heavy

ces it b

tapping the cover

w hard. "E

aze pins me. "Or at

each

fingers

iberate shake

ot y

iffen.

e a choice

e is smoot

this, there's n

spreads

on't

grab the folder, rip

t I

hing in Ethan's

now, I won

xhales

I'll keep you out of this. You can l

s tighten ov

if you

ong p

ow. Dark

ecome part

tomach

blink. Don

eep down, I

f this game from t

e Ch

h for th

en over it just for a s

te

chance to

ing in his eyes and

nsi

reath

ents. Names I d

thing st

an's

. Harder.

illionaire. Not the

en't boardrooms o

ainer. Darke

mugs

hest t

barely legible bene

a single

lloway-Pres

pulse

mistake. A

doesn't lo

sn't say

folder back. "

d, eyes locked on

head. "No.

His voice is calm.

The chair scrapes

l too close. Th

can't b

step back.

es me. Unmovi

ator waiting

nd

here

it to t

curl around

than says quietly, "an

fr

of his words

a th

warn

ow hard.

icker with so

already

creeps dow

te. The

wanted me

w I'd come ru

nd

're wa

se the do

back

than?" My voice i

t time, his ex

raw. Almost.

n it'

ll he s

you shoul

e on his d

doesn'

ing in his e

as expectin

ady knows what

the room tu

one keep

ng twice more b

rings it

ist

jaw ti

en-c

han

rns

a bag,"

ink. "

g his jacket, shoving the f

re lea

him, heart ra

oesn't

use ou

creeches

tomach

the window, pulli

ire body

but he holds up

st

runch on

otst

Th

kn

p. Mea

n look

rst time sin

fear in