The Playboy's Heartbreaker's Game

harm and doused in a cologne like Cole Maddox's. She shouldn't have gone to lunch with him. She knew bet

g a mug of herbal tea as the city buzzed beneath her. Harper had go

d surpr

n't tried to impress her, hadn't overplayed his wealth, hadn't once me

er more than any pic

-

– Blake & W

ir slicked into a low bun. The team barely looked up from their

ice, dropping her bag,

lpted vase on her desk. Clean, ele

r a full minute bef

t say who sent it. But, uh..." She tilted her head. "Sh

nonymity is the oldest tric

was M

answer. She

-

per East Side,

ed to remember the empire he'd inherited. His mother, Elena, sat in the leather ch

investors last night," she s

ole replied. "I want

. You're the face of this company

being i

his fixation with a woman who has

has built her company from the ground

om our

t someone fr

's how your father started, too. With ideals. The

you're just afraid I won't l

owed, but she

rry, Mother. I don't need you

his about her-or about prov

ed at t

be b

-

ek – Fashion

an Museum, bathed in champagne lighting and silver threads. The gala was

water under moonlight. Her hair fell in soft waves, lips pa

iced grace, Harper by her side, smiling

d near the center, like a thron

axed stance. W

t she entered. And unlike at the pa

-

carnate," he murmured, offer

line or an

ot

arm, surprisi

s," she warned. "I'm

r the art," he r

-hm

ttracting chaos. Conversations hushed as people noticed the

a long while, Sienna

rified her a

-

s the

Harper. "So. Our best friends are fl

d. "She'll ea

thi

But he mig

-

h Sienna

mirrors, the kind that distorted your refl

yourself?" she

hattered glass. "D

tod

sn't usually chase anyone. And he's s

heart s

't a game

-

rchestral strings, Cole watched Sienna like she wa

she said, not tu

you I'm

to one side. "There's a fine line be

always been a t

him, brow raised. "Do

g an octave. "Only when I'm alone. A

walls, always carefully fortif

You have a reputation for charm an

choosing to stand beside me when half

ose* anything. We'r

her, eyes dancing.

-

tes Later – S

d the glowing city. The buzz faded behind them, replaced by the hush of traf

st the railing, arm

at the stars.

her eyes. "

e way you looked at me the first time-like you saw t

idn't

. Or the suits. Or the money. You

"You don't even

was gentle now. No char

e skyline. "I wa

on caught h

t him, didn't wai

ought we did. Turns out, I was just conven

aled. "I

ht me everything I needed to know. About me

r but didn't tou

on't nee

. "I'm not askin

t are you

that not every man who wa

er eyes. "I ha

down. I'll follow

-

ide – Gala

s had alrea

lake dating

abandoning his bache

. Others were sh

wine glass poised at her lips. She didn't like it. Not the chemistry.

en reckless-but th

lt pe

-

orning – Sie

woke

t shut off. She poured coffee, stared at her sketchboo

he'd break her heart. But be

one. No texts. No mi

o

sort of wished

-

le – Madd

ling windows wrapping around him like a panora

r eyes, her voice, the vulnerability she

nted

rm her. But to

arn

r. Maddox, your mother's downstairs

hed. "Le

-

utes Later

els, perfectly coiffed and colder

reamble, "we need to talk

is abou

t

a seat. She d

benea

's n

ot *one

at's th

ment? The press digging into her past? Because that's what will h

g me with Dad. I'm not going to hide behind

oice turned sharp. "You've

l it takes

ssed betw

a mistake," s

hings that didn't matter. This

-

Night – Sienn

st as she was finish

ng there, a takeout bag in one ha

didn't want to ask," he s

. "You just as

I h

pa

And wine. And n

s. "One dinner does

let it mean nothi

a hes

e stepp

-

– On the

ween them, jazz playing softly from her speak

ally come tonig

every day I don't see you fee

him, heart bea

for the fantasy

"Because I'm no

eyes

-