sterile guest room was firm and unforgiving, a deliberate contrast to the master suite she was no longer welcom

Dark circles bruised the skin under her eyes. She splash

she started clawin

Braxton. Her fingers hovered over the keys. Sh

ever, chills. Doctor says it's contagious. I nee

e

le didn't appear. No typing i

a vacuum. Was he angry? Was he indifferent? W

wn. She couldn't control his reaction.

ept, the last remnant of her independence. There, she dressed in the only suit she had left from her former life-a black Armani pan

ted in a glass tower that smelled of floor wax and ambition. Th

n named Linda with sharp glasses, raised an eye

sitting straight. "I

per. "Sinclair... an

fake name was too complicated, too easy to expose. Hiding in plain sight, hoping the shame of her family'

n town for the week. Requires absolute discretion. The pay is triple the standard rate beca

he page. It was enough to cover

client?" E

aid. "You'll find out whe

ne in her purse felt heavy. Braxton hadn't

threat of her mother being

up the pen

aper back. "Location is the Pierre

lding. She checked her phone

ngue. She tried to convince herself that his silence was a good thing. Maybe he was to

ce was on the cover of the Post. THE BILL

way, her sto

. She nearly dro

im. It was

rmed: Suite 40

Elodie Sinclair. She used to run galas. She used

icking on the pavement. She didn't know t