the CEO's office. Her sensible, low-heeled shoes made absolutely no so

mountain of legal docum

h the board. Have the quarterly reports on my desk in twenty mi

to a monotonous, robotic drone. She repeated his instructions

heer efficiency caught him off guard. He finally

es of her glasses hid the upper half of her face. Carlisle s

k," Carlisle commanded, di

She entered the private executive pantr

bmissive posture vanished. Her spine

k roast beans. As the machine whirred, her mind violently flashed back to t

pulled out a tiny, clear glass vial. Inside was a high

a mild allergy to almonds. It would not kill him. But i

remor in her hand, she let three drops of the clear liquid fall into the da

saucer. She walked back into the offi

hand. She immediately took a large step back

up. He took a long sip w

ed together. He tasted a faint, strang

ered a frantic rhythm against her ribs, but h

inutes

silk tie loose. His breathing hitched, turning into a harsh, wet wheeze.

s knees buckled, and he crashed back into his heavy leather chair. His arm knocked

her eyes and let her mouth fall

itching her voice high with fake terror. Deep inside,

ick, angry hives were rapidly spreading up his neck. He opened his mouth,

erted by the crash. He took one look at C

ll phone from his po

ramedics rushed onto the top floor with a stretcher. They strapp

ng at Chloe. "You are his sec

ping her head down to hide th

e harsh fluorescent lights beat down on them. A paramedic slapped an oxygen mask

injected a massive dose of epineph

ng eased. The heart monito

s eyes sn

gh the small, chaotic space and locked direct

l morning. The only thing he consumed was the co

ak. The drugs and the shock left his muscles weak. He cou

al wall of the ambulance. She wrapped her arms around her knees and began to vi

ing them all forward. They had arrived at

anked the stretcher out, breaking the inte

tretcher as they rushed Carlisle into the trauma room. Sh

room floor. He spun aroun

his coffee?" Miller demande

ar spilled over her lower li

olently. "I swear! I just used the beans in th

hands, the picture of a t