e freezing Manhattan streets until she finally tracked down the emergency address her mother had texted her from a burner phone. Every step away from the Upper East Side had felt like a de

ade her sto

stained fabric sofa. His hands shook as

week, Alaina," Arthur croaked, his vo

Her mother, Eleanor, rushed

ly into Alaina's skin. She

he only one on Wall Street with fi

thless, predatory titan of Wall Street who had systematically annihilated her family's century-old legacy without breaking a sweat. To go to him now was to walk willingly into the

shion. He pulled out a heavy silver revol

!" Arthur screamed, spit flying from his

d of all color. Her

heavy, cold metal gun off the tabl

air and unzipped it. She pulled out a black, bac

ess onto the sma

were wide and frantic. "Use whatever you

vocative fabric. A wave of nau

father, who was cr

walked into the tiny, moldy

in the massive, glass-walled lob

he thin silk of her dress offered no

walked past her, their eyes raking ove

e blonde receptionist said, her tone dripping

massive lump in her t

e straps of her high heels dug into her ankles, rubbing

himed. Damon Doyle, Hardin's ex

eding feet with zero

doors opened on the top floor, the massive

s standing with his back to her, looking out

p and tur

the deep plunge of her neckline an

eyes, but it vanished in a millisec

e forward. "I need a bridge loan. Fift

ofa. He sat down, crossed his long legs,

e cl

roken glass. Alaina stopped exact

His eyes slowly dragg

a high-end escort," he sneered.

lms until the skin broke. She wanted to turn and run, but the i

the last piece of her pride. "Look at th

ut a dry, hu

f the glass table and pulled

the table until it sto

rice for your