a business merge

ough his tuxedo, looking ten years younger now that Kaine Corp's money was legally tied to ours. Cele

She nev

senator, one hand resting on the small of my back. Not possessive. Possessive would imply

aiter offered me a

Celeste drinks it like water. I was going to

. He plucked the glass from my hand and set it back on the

e sloshed. My

e year

he's caught in a lie - high, brittle. "God, Da

oked. His eyes were gray, like a frozen

Mr. and Mrs. Kaine! Kiss

His thumb brushed the corner of my mouth, and for a second I tho

tion. Clinical. Measuring. He pulled back

the photog

No one else sat there. Just two place settings, two wate

e. "You've been trying to quit

it was the only thing that kept her awake during Dad's board mee

he game was up. If I drank it, I'd be

cked

ed. Not my fa

d my lips. Bitter.

idn't

got engaged, I'd choked down black coffee until my body stopped betrayi

dead," I said, using Celeste's word

in his eyes. Not su

mething expensive and sharp, like cedar and cold cash. "It did," he said qui

gers we

e'd called him "the human spreadsheet" and slep

ad he been talking

uzzed. He glanced at it, then stood

xplanation. No kiss

my ribs, staring at the empty coffee

est. But Lucien was always the better actor. Don't

ne the news said died in a bo

ooke

m, watching me. He raised his

ken a sip of