the first

sed to b

forward, forcing

is way, doing anything to climb the social ladder. One minute

instinctively tightened her

thy. His gaze remained on Chloe'

ore desperate. She turned her performance on

hate me and Branden, you can't ruin your own reputation

cut through the room like a shard of ice. "Who ga

nd utterly devoid of warmth. Dorathy froze, the words dying in

phew. "Branden. Control your wom

er than anyone what his uncle was capable of. He coul

's arm, hissing, "

Bra

sappear from New York?" Brand

r in his voice finally made her und

ically bowing to Dominic. "I'm sorry, Unc

d a stunned Dorat

she truly understood the chasm of power that separated them. Branden, who had be

d, and the roo

from Branden's grasp. "Why are you so

, breathing heavily. "Just my u

y. "He controls the Knight Corporation's board. Our entire family's trust fund is

s just a powerful relative. She hadn't realized he was the ki

ped, turning on her. "You had to come

edroom, the q

ating a cool distance between them. He looked at her, his eyes sharp and a

irectly. "I need protection. And you a

indow, his back to her. "And what

ands, I am a bomb that can detonate his public image at any moment. I can ruin the 'golden boy' persona he

the man at the window. "Using a w

th humiliation. She kn

casting a shadow over her. He reached out and cupped her chin

pulling her in. "Your proposal is ch

hed lightly ag

g to play y

a moment, interest flicke

tle. If you still want to play when you've had time to c

She couldn't believe he was

dropping his hand

ath its coldness, and his gaze swept ov

here. And, Chloe-don't