Cruel Devotion

: The

t the foot of a mansion th

y lined with black sedans and silent, suited driver

first, then offer

he was

was cl

ok it

Low lights, mirrored walls, voices like silk and stee

sked as they walked th

ius

. "The defens

witched. "Amon

ea

tonight?" she aske

re to listen. Look untouchable. S

ideways glance.

is head jus

"Don't lea

red the d

tings, people who wore power the way others wore perfume. T

f eyes turned wh

hen t

d. Some di

r, and a woman whose tech empire wa

the table. Heavyset, pale-eyed, with a voi

a polit

he was assessing a new weapon system

s hard to stage,"

was a

laughed. "Oh

hand pressed lightly agai

d that

here sharpen. Everyone was watching. Every gesture,

t playing h

re play

-

2: Th

was a

ut for display. The wine was top-shelf, the conversation was co

d when Knox looked at her. Nodded i

n he sa

ian

He ran one of the largest AI security firms on the West Coast

dn't stop lo

- casual glances, a smi

e lean

ox ever bringing a w

e. "Maybe he was waiting f

ed. "So you're

" she said. "Limi

But Bastian's

n who reads he

ers, fingers brushing hers on

didn'

't s

it-his presence, go

er bores you, Ivy, you should know

ever bores me," she said swee

ppled aroun

t from

his for

astian glance ov

er might look at something that had w

turned

ft, but it lande

e he

ed. "I'm

hair scr

ended

. Come.

le went

st

use she

doing it fel

r wrist - not gently, but not crue

sp

tunned

rapped around Ivy's thigh now,

her," Knox said, "or do you

s glass again. "M

d frozen

d in close

whispered. "Th

she

sm

e didn

Knox's hand sq

-

3: Th

were alone in th

ll was that?

as clenched, one hand tapping agai

d you,"

et you turn me into a possession in fr

oldly. "You're a liability. Unless I

rophy? By threatening someo

d his head

nt city lights flashing over

ked fu

alk to you," he said, voi

me to pl

ell you to

ou think I wanted him to say that? That I enjoyed

nd sho

o hit

rap

t the seat, caging her in

stop him f

eath h

that little of m

t answer r

it was quie

idea of anyone else thinkin

oat tig

posed to be f

eane

Heat radiating

the way I wan

le

meant it. I will destroy

d barely

se she wa

n't sure she wa

-