teps were measur

ional pull of his authority. He didn't rush. He walked toward C

She shifted her weight, trying to hide the left

dn't

His towering height forced Cierra to tilt her head u

sudden drop in temperature, smiled b

lute honor, Mr. McLean. And this

n flick toward Julian. They sta

xtended his

His voice was a low, gravelly rumble that

forced her hand up, her trembli

ip clamped do

ure of the calluses at the base of his

hed back to a freezing

mbling apartment building. She was throwing the cheap si

oed in her head. You're a charity case. You will never,

ghtened around hers,

ck to the present. She gasped so

tips were throbbing, shaking uncontr

his hand. He finally turne

isle said, his tone conversational but laced with venom. "Liq

greement. "The market is rut

derstood the double meaning per

ailored pantsuit step

y. "The board members are wait

time. His eyes were dead, devoid of any of the warmth he us

d and wa

led. She grabbed Julian's

restroom," she chok

rra picked up the heavy skirt o

y against the marble floor of the corridor. She hit the heavy wooden

s and locked herself

ing her hands over her face. She sucked in greedy mou

g her phone out of her clutc

The balance stared

e PR world what a shallow, vicious person she was, her influencer car

ising in her throat. She

stall and walked t

llarbone. She grabbed her concealer, aggressively tapping it under her eyes to

he neede

lled her shoulders back, and

o the hallway before she nearl

oman in the

ld out a thick, black car

rely devoid of emotion. "The CEO is waiting for

ribs. She lifted her chin, trying to

My friend is waiting f

't lower

ly, "that if you decline, he has no problem walking do

ke out across Ci

purse to her chest and followed K.C.