heels scraping against the carpet. She dug her fingern

ted on Eloise's ears. She yanked Eloise's arm, forcing h

a sharp sense of humor," Genevieve s

them. No one picked up a fork. The only sound in the room was t

ise the other day about your time at the boarding school in Connecticut. We always

is arms over his broad chest. He looked at Genev

ieve," Christian said. His voice was flat. He didn't blink

er face, leaving her looking old and terrified. The exact n

. She couldn't take it anymore. She snapped her head

respect," Eloise said. Her voice s

sting his forearms on the table. The physical dista

"People who come begging for my mone

Her breath caught in her throat. Her chest hea

ers pinched the soft flesh of Eloise's thigh, twisti

uments and tossed them onto the center of the table. He pushed them. The he

dt Group of all its core assets. The real estate, the tech patents, the shi

from her chair. "That is robbery! You are des

ly blank. "If you don't sign it tonight, the Wall Street Jou

tight, painful knots. He wasn't here to negotiate. He wasn't here

hair back so hard the wooden l

e," Eloise said,

own! Eloise, please!" Tears spilled over Genevieve's eyelashes

ther beg broke the last piece of her pride.

ched Eloise's red-rimmed eyes. His hand gripped his empty wh

hristian with pure hatred. "Even if we end up on the stre

or. Her heels sank into the carpet. Every step felt

d around the cold

ristian's low voic

hand cramped aroun

Mist," Christian continued, his tone dangerously

e wide with shock. She couldn't believe he

the dim light of the room. He walked slowly around

er head back to look at him. The smell of his co

. "Just one word, and you won't get any decent script in Hol

at the man standing over her, feeling a deep, paralyzing terror. He

tucked a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear. His fingers brushed agai

tly. His eyes were sharp like

eaving the private room behind. The moment she hit the main dining a