hey had been trapped. It was no longer the silence of two str

topped being afraid of the "Icy Man" next to her. She had tucked her freezing hands into

she could hear it. Every time she whimpered in her sleep, his inner wolf

... he can take his spreadsheets... and shove them..."Killian let out a breath that

ng closer to his chest. "I bet he..

rage to rest on the top of her head. He smoothed her messy hair, his to

ing sound echoed from

an said, his voice instantly snappi

blinding white light cut through the darkness like a blade

you okay?" It was Jax's

ght. This was it. The bubble was about to burst. If the world saw the King holding a junior man

to prot

orner of the elevator. By the time the paramedic hit the floor, Killian was standing, his suit jacket straightened, his face onc

you're the

his Alpha power leaking into his tone. The par

her, his back turned, his silhouette sharp against the light. He looked so cold. So dis

cs lifted her onto a stretcher.

al Hospital -

but it didn't sound like "sad" crying. It sou

bbed. "Who's going to help me with the audit? And

and 'Elevator Trauma,'" another voice-Leo-replied. "And your o

ting in a chair, holding a bag of Cheetos like a rosary, her eyes puffy. Leo was leaning against t

hugging Aria so hard the heart monitor started beeping. "You abso

ugh he looked visibly relieved. "The whole building is talking about it. S

flicking through her mind. "I don't know. Some guy. H

d get on his Armani. Listen, we're going to go find the cafeteria, Maya hasn't eaten

h she followed him out. "We'll be

st the pillows, her mind wandering back to the dark. Why did she feel

r opene

or her Cheetos, but the person w

was

d at the collar, and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing thick

t doing a strange little flip-f

oked at her with that same intense stare, but there was something el

sked. His voice was the sam

ator," Aria said, trying to be brave. "But I'll survive.

twitched. "Sue?

to get fired up, her fever-brain taking over. "I'm going to milk the CEO for every billion he has. I heard he'

, small quirk appeared at the corner of his mouth

s. "I'll take his car. I'll take his penthouse. I'll make hi

billions?"Aria paused, looking at the man's intense blue eyes. "I don't know. He's a robot, right? He'll probably just send a lawyer-bot to pay me off. I'm just

he North, a man who controlled the wealth of nations, found hi

he repeated quietly.

gaze. "That would be enough. Why? Are you his lawy

ing just enough for her to see the

hought. And I'd give you every billio