THE BILLIONAIRE'S FORBIDDEN LOVE

of restless sleep. She squinted against the sliver of morning li

as grab her phone, finger

n Bla

nt the night befor

Hayes. Don't forge

meant, and she had zero

igger things to worry about-like getting to work on time, avoiding her

d her hair back into a sleek ponytail. When she glanced in the mirror, she d

orked hard to keep herself afloat in

Blackwood though

dead

-

the Rosewood Hotel, she knew

ing in, bellhops rushing to carry luggage, and a f

ighed. H

or concierges, Daniel, hurrie

muttered, pasting on

st is demanding a private yacht rental for tonight, but

se. Of course. The kind of problems

dle it,"

ng she had, and finally managing to secure a last-minute

s ave

o take a breather, a famili

d, and th

n Bla

sidering his wealth, wouldn't have surprised her. His suit was impeccabl

itched, but she r

here?" she asked, ke

ment flickering in his dark eyes. "G

arms. "You shou

e asked, ste

l night thinking about you. Because I know men

said, "Becaus

ow. "Then have din

ould just step into his world, have a nice meal, and preten

ate guests

good thing I'

y. "I don't date b

in slightly. "I don't recall asking

ay he said it... low, delibe

I

ld finish, a voice

rte

omach

felt ice crawl

ice fr

w too well. One that had once whispered prom

, she

ot C

r

o had ruin

something about him had hardened-his sharp jaw, the way his ey

enched. What the he

, then at Elliot, his

gain, stepping closer,

ong e

but dangerous, as if sensing th

smoothly, though Carter cou

into a smirk, his gaz

kets, eyes dark with something unreadable. "An

rged. Carter could feel Adrian's gaze on her, sha

yes on Elliot, her nail

as he

the broken pieces without a second glance. And now, he just

today. N

eated, forcing out a hollow laugh. "I did

d tilting slightly. "You'd

churned at the fa

it sent a ripple of tension through the air. His eyes were locked

m was

Adrian, his smirk still i

angerous curve of his l

g mild interest. "Blackwood?

low and amused.

rning into a testosterone-fueled st

t, her voice clipped. "W

something unreadable. "I ju

i

ot Graves never did anythin

h but firm. "She's working. If you have something impor

's how it is?" He turned back to Carter, his sm

chest t

la

dmit defeat. If he was saying that, it mea

ed her more t

stepping back. His eyes flickered toward Adrian once mo

leaving Carter standing between the man who broke he

ked as he watched Elliot lea

, he turned

e hell w