her apartment. The hinges squea

de and stopped d

t sofa. Ronan O'Neal, another agent fr

to her feet. "You completely ruined the dinner! Gus is

her. She locked the deadbolt

ng room. Her body was exhausted

Gianna said. Her voic

h, please. You probably just drank too much

you really messed up this time. Dani

yes locked on Dani. She reached into

reen a few times

the same conversation Gianna had secretly recorded earlier that evening when she'

he recording played. "She will be compliant. You can take h

ctress who'd been burned before. Always leave

opened, but no sound came out. She lunged forwa

grabbed Dani's wrist and twiste

rieked

If you ever try to set me up again, if you ever threaten my career again, I

i stumbled and crashed into the

in absolute horror. "

ment," Gianna said,

eet and ran out, Ronan

her bedroom and collapsed on the bed. She pu

oment the call connected. "I need a ticket

"Those tickets are impossible to

sell me off to someone named Prescott. But I met someone else at that hospital-Algot Vaughn. He's

at I can do,"

om of the Plaza Hotel. She was wearing a sleek, bl

e she had no intention of dr

ng slickly. He started talking, bragging about hi

ay. Algot Vaughn runs everything now. He is here tonight. Tall guy, always wears a

man from the hospital. The man whose touch had sent electricity through

passing waiter's tray an

quiet. The thick carpet muffled her f

back to her. His shoulders w

aned. He doubled over, grabbing the balcony ra

na f

n around. I

agony. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

re. They were a glowing, unn

uld scream, Algo

nd wrapped around her throat. He did not squeeze e

ting a pain so intense it rad

nown it since the hospital. But right now, his mind was drowning in agony, and seeing her here-at his fam

trapped bird. But she recognized the question for what it was - n

voice shaking. "I came because I ne

then loosened. The agony in his body was screaming for relief. He

nded, the words ripp

ed both her hands and pressed them flat

on was ins

rms went slack. He let go of her throat and slumped forwa

ath. The crimson color faded from

n. Just like in the car. The confirmation hit him like a phy

nessed the family secret. He could not

lgot demanded, his voice low and da

"Desi tried to sell me to your family. I came here to find

dition. But trust was not something he gave freely. His hand moved swiftl

and she collapsed into his