screen illuminated Evelyn's pa

Hawthorne burned

until she hit the floor. The phone slipped from her num

knees to her chest and buried her face in her arms. Her thin shoulder

ght sliced through the broken

e walked into the tiny bathroom and gripped the edges of the sink. She stared at her swollen,

rted ringing

Clara Mercer, her best

s panicked whisper imme

uthless tyrant from Hawthorne Group

paper. "I saw it, Clara. He isn't just a tyrant.

their minds. They are making everyone wear full corpo

he looked at her closet ful

humiliate her in front of her coworkers. She needed to pay off that car repa

o get the money from the owne

piece of armor to hide how badly she was shaking insid

he ordered an Uber and headed

ve private lounge. Evelyn paid the driver and walked in

stepped in front of her

rs only. I need to s

e guard dead in the eye with cold authority.

ly relaxed into submission. He stepped aside. "M

sian rugs. The heavy bass from the club's sound system vibrated in the s

ter. A sick feeling settled in her stomach. Preston had to

en just an inch. Dim purple light spilled out into the hallw

She leaned forward and l

shrank to

xpensive shirt was unbuttoned to his stomach. He held a cr

e. She was a well-known socialite

ston's mouth. Their bodies were pressed tightly together

Evelyn's feet straight

ickening wave of self-pity. She had tolerated this pat

eared the fog in her brain. She wasn't here to cry

. She kicked the heavy velve

interior wall with a massive crash. The sou

m died instantly. Every hea

ck blazer sharp, her red li

hampagne all over his pants. He shoved

n? What are y