The Velvet Lie

dn't s

ldn

f wine, Sera's mind wouldn't quiet down. The wei

her wasn't

estroy Art

ived fire

ung to her skin like smoke. She had let herself ge

rst of

w what she bel

-

ambition. But inside her apartment, Sera sat curled in her armchair, her r

d hoarded everything from her father's final months li

ings that did

upposed buyout but also showed ot

thorn Holding

r attention today in a

Dominic but to an offshore account under th

T.

e Tho

n down Ser

ried the evidence to

wasn't coverin

was profitin

-

-waisted pencil skirt and a silk blouse that looked professional

ing to his

-

pital-Eas

herself: sterile white with glass walls, sharp furniture

m her desk when

ed into a chignon and a wardrobe that

d smoothly. "To what d

gured it was time

ake felt purely formal. There was no

ach other like two que

nic quite closely," Eloise

"Are you keeping tabs on you

ct our company. And you, Miss Maddox, ar

convenient women tend to

pecially those who appear from nowhere with no visible backers, a perfectly c

iffened. The ga

n't just g

w somet

e a partnership," S

aned back, amus

. You control several properties under Hawthorn Holdings.

yes glittering. "Because it seems to me you

ch her eyes. "I don't play wit

m her chair. "Let me be clear. Dominic has been through enough. Wh

eels clicking, and

survive th

linch. "Is th

ispered. "That'

-

ment, the silence

lder, smarter, and already suspicious. That made

something to her: a crac

payments. Fraud hid

r laptop and b

-

pass

n archived financial

asn't a fa

as r

g the same week her father die

e Tho

ath hit

all con

ough Keene, and when her father threatened to expose i

't been the

een a

no

ve with the woman se

-

of a private club, drink in hand, her re

come here b

of the bar-tie loosened, gl

p when she

like sparks ign

trouble," he

am.

to his ear. "But I think we're past

beneath the bar. "You lef

hing I didn't w

now

liar," she said softly. "Y

fully, brow furrowed.

didn't a

she kis

asn't rage. It

confe

he could give him witho

e making up for every wall, every secret,

his mouth on her neck, her hand grip

his t

ething real before she

-

when they reached

mouth tasted like freedom, and when they finally collapsed into his

il

d her like she wa

ng to destroy the very f

-

er, she lay awake, tracing the sh

longer h

Eloi

ehind eve

ew what she

choose between

who never shoul