n one hand as she speed-walked through the open

g phones and shouting trade

office and slapped the thick, bound Jarv

paper hitting wo

f genuine surprise and approval washing over his f

d back to h

fabric of her desk chair, her inte

d up the

tight with panic. "There is a man named Ryder d

A hot flash of pure rage

e right

ity badge and marched

d to the ground-floo

ption desk by two massive security guard

he dark circles under them

gar daddy to pay your rent?" he spat,

ls in tailored suits stopped wa

k. Her expression

of iced Americano she had quickly gra

threw the dark, freezing liqu

t his forehead w

nose, staining the crisp white c

pen in sheer shock. He stood froz

voice deadly quiet but carrying perfectly across the silent lob

badge against the scanner, and

puddle of coffee, his face bu

at her desk, her hands were sha

ed violently against

flashed: El

abbed the phone and walked quickly i

en button and held

harp, arrogant, and carried th

n the email. She didn

ng about the quarterly yields

"As the legal guardian of the trust, I might have to fr

into the edge of t

ie asked, her voice tight, fight

y, as if discussing the weather. "You will attend. You will smile. You w

h violently re

d play the supportive sister to t

ie starte

s forty-two thousand dollars," Eleano

ie like a physical

dn't cover a fr

her cheek so hard she tasted t

rced the word ou

oft, victorious hum

e buzzed in

out the breakroom window at the g

furiously again

rty, she would go. But she wa