the headboard, pulling the white duvet up to

ace drained of all color. His mouth

ohan stammered. "What

cked on Lacey. Lacey shrank back, trying to make he

devoid of any emotion. "I came to give you

y in the sheer black lace. A bitter, mock

to defense mode. He reac

ce cracking. "It's not what it looks like

a second thought. Lacey gasped, her

She looked at Johan as if

force you to say I was 'safe'? And 'ordinary'? D

Each syllable hit Johan like

zed she had heard everyt

pathetic. He swung his legs over the s

I messed up. I was just stressed abo

at him. "Roll ove

p her gray skirt. She stepped into it and zipped it up. She pulled her s

f invisible, swallowing her own ambition to be his stepping stone, only to be branded as 'safe' and 'ordinary'-a disposable convenience. The agonizing sorrow in her chest rapidly

ting her ar

d slid them onto her face. The beautiful, vulnerable woma

f her movements terrified him more than scream

took a step toward her. "You can't just

out to gr

ed him effortlessly

him dead

second, I am no longer your

ote bag and slung i

ent. My lawyer will send the termination paper

venience. The loss of his agent was a career death sentence. Gab

ill. "You can't do this to me! Af

through?" Gabrielle a

ocket. She opened the video file

wanted half a million dollars for this. What do you t

ng Lacey against the concrete wall of the hotel

. The family-friendly brand deals.

his voice broke into a pathetic

phone and slipped it

ntact me again, your name will be printed next to the words

mply to his sides. H

nd walked out of the bedr