unge – Mom

rumming against her ribs like a warning bell. This close, the man was

't touc

n't og

t... w

trying to unravel a puzzle n

his glass down with quiet precision.

leaning back slightly, buying hers

d. "If I didn't, I w

tated. "

slowly, tasting the name.

ter smile. "Th

leasure, maybe passed throu

pped like sto

That's... a comp

or titles. I'm asking if someo

nswer. I did

between them, he

ed, sharp and direct. "A

't li

t laugh, her voice hoa

ow enough. You're not

d reply, the do

mo

d before she co

m like smoke. His eyes landed o

ng. "And already deep in conversati

id she was your employee. You di

"Big word, Fernando. Ca

careful hand on Damon's a

d her waist. Tight. P

oothly, his tone now wrapped in m

lowly, like a storm bu

r breath caught. No one eve

ared. "E

tep forward. "I

in. One cold, calculating and born into wealth. The oth

tween them, sudde

pped back with a dark smile. "She's not for sale

a price," Javier

y. But know this, this girl? She's mi

Damon's eyes. Later, th

ve her a

t with Damon still w

hould have. Her hands trembled as she passed

in years, someone h

sure if it made

initel

didn't com

with s

eel. The bed was too big. Too soft. Too far from anything she knew. She blinked again

't Damon'

ng in the hallway. No rotting stench of f

sil

tickin

spiked. Her first instinct was to run. But where? Her fingers tightened into fists around the blanket as she scanned the room. It was beautiful in a

e saw t

hick paper, folded once. Beside it, a

ache. You're

omach

vi

voice like smoke and money. The man wh

a

dn't believed

't take

amon had taught her be invisible, be silent, don't give them a reason. The robe s

d. She followed the scent of fresh coff

vo

ier

alculat

" he said. "She's not going back. I

e glass-paneled office door. He

t, collar open just enough to reveal the edge of a tattoo at his collarbone. No tie. No need. His sl

hand and a glass of amber liquid in

move. Could

. Slept beside powerful

made her fe

e p

ething wort

security. And get me everything we have on Archer's ne

amon's name. It wasn'

k, but too late

eyes l

ashed in his gaze. It

inter

d her more than c

is phone down like a king di

ut her throat was dry.

her with the quiet grace of a predator. "You were drugged.

You don't know what

is face something too fast to catch. "N

hed him with those forest-green eyes that h

here?" s

ink the hospital was an option, considering what

pulling the robe tighter.

tly, without humor

nce settled

tbeat thundere

finally. "You know that, right? He

avier said, stepping ev

ightened. "So

mouth, then lifted back to hers. "You're not a thing

believe him

ing in her

Like she wasn't tainted. That was more da

ant from me?"

ything Damon made you do. Everyone, he made you hurt. I want

"You don't get to play savior, Ja

g anything. But whether you like it or not, you're in m

ica

n angry. Afraid.

me in years, somethi

ge. No

o

e most dangerou