ed shut behind them, abruptly severi

e icy wind struck Kory's fevered skin, his knees buckled. His massive

ct. His body heat radiated through his

her palms flat against the rigid slab of his che

is fogged, wire-rimmed glasses, his pupils were dilated into terrifying pools of black. He reac

ke a man standing on the edge of a sheer cliff,

her closer, pressing her cold palm flat against his hammering carotid artery. "I can't br

bone structure of his face was devastatingly aristocratic-sharp cheekbones, a hi

wer, headlights slic

ng against the wet asphalt. A chauffeur in pristine dark livery leaped out from be

red, rushing forward in sheer

rain with razor-sharp authority. "A synthetic aphrodisiac. His heart rate is crit

as currently leaning heavily against this unfamiliar bartender with his fingers c

imbed in after him. The heavy door sealed with a vault-lik

in, Kory's control

top two mother-of-pearl buttons of his shirt. He leaned over, his b

voice dropping into a dange

hed up to pin his wandering hands, but the moment their fingers

across the soft skin of her inner wrist, his scorching breath fanning

less familiarity of a man handling a loyal pet. But this strang

eeched to a halt beneath the golde

line wrapped Kory's arm securely over her shoulders

d the reception counter looked up, her expression instantly hardening into co

er tone dripping with ice. "Private s

his head from A

d a heavy, matte-black titanium card from his trou

AN

nnoyed-until the card reader sca

the desk, the network flashed

ERRIDE: PR

ASE TRUST / NEXUS

: UNLIMITED GL

n her throat. Her face went as whi

r of the St. Regis, alerted by the automated security override, came sprinting across the l

-we had no prior itin

ord-NEXUS-on the front-desk screen. The name struck a faint chord in the back of her racing mind, but before s

terrified to make direct eye contact with Kor

rored private elevator, the heavy