y

simmering tomato sauce, a simple, grounding act in the midst of the chaos I was orchest

The caller ID displayed a Chicago area code, but the number was untraceable. My h

ish towel and pressed t

oice as neutral as a

have yo

, impatient, and ut

ssumed his world was still orbiting him. "I need you to log into the internal

pot, the rich red a stark contrast to

oup, Alec," I said, my tone flat, informationa

d silence on the other end of the li

u really have the trash-collection staff throw it out just to get my

ection of our bond like a pile of junk mail. The confirmation didn't bring pain-only a profound, weary contempt.

oice as cold as the grave. "I have severed all professio

"You're jealous. You think your little strategies are irreplaceable, but

ng over me like static on a dead channel. It was like listening to

expected tears, pleading. When none came, his

ix the proposal tonight. Get it done. And as a reward, you can be my d

ned sound of pure, icy derision. I couldn't help it.

om his table, fully expecting me

I can't. My mother isn't well. I need to be available for her." I used the one excuse he cou

u don't

problem anymore, Alec," I said, cutting hi

low, threatening growl-the Alpha command bleeding through, desperat

have once shattered my w

ish," I s

nded th

at followed wa

denly returning. I was draining the spaghe

uldn't be him.

rp suit stood in the hallway, holding a large, elegant white box fr

crack, the security

I hel

"Ms. Kay Silva? I'm Mason Sterling, from the Vertex

bled with the chain befor

orrow evening," Mason explained, handing me the box. "He felt you should be ap

ns before I had even mentioned them to him. The level of his a

ou," I m

ful evening," Mason said with anothe

e box into my bedroom. I placed

, silver-white silk. The cut was minimalist, severe, but incredibly elegant. It wasn

small, thick card. I picked it up. The

ard to seein

H

-