THE BILLIONAIRE SECRET DEAL

e left half painted and stacked against the wall while others had paintings hanging on easels with thick red and blue decorations in rusty brown wooden stands. The chair, on which sat Sofia

rokes-ambition/desperation-fueled her as she labo

bit was the only opportunity for her to make her

was immediately alert. S

own N

ad and sighed before replying,

ld, inflected voice

spea

I have some good news. I know because the arrange

is very Stanton Gallery for which she had been chasing for year

Sofia stammered out.

There is a detail." "This gallery has recently been bought by someone new, and

d. "Who's th

pause, then Karen resp

less, Austin Reed, the billionaire who made the headlines almost on a daily basis. A known figure in hostile take

to be a problem

as her only job, and even if she felt some displeasure, she wo

to the upper floor of Austin Reed's penthouse felt like years. Sofia clutched a portfolio of sketches to her bosom

large glass panels were on all the walls around us. It was cold, and the sun was pale, but otherwise it was a fine winter day in Mildura, as the light illum

here

shouldered and impeccably clad Austin Reed was the epitome of power and authority.

n fluent English, speaki

hand, her eyes narrowing at her, bu

replied, calm as

et authoritative position. "They have reviewed your portfolio, and they see they have something in you, but they also see that they are

r face diplomatic. Well, I've prepared for months

till closed. 'Passion, Ms. Collins?' She snorts softly, 'Passion is f

ia's chest sizzle, but she said nothing. She didn't re

you did not believe in my work, w

"Fair point," he conceded. "But let's be clear. This is not simply you, your art, or anything you, as

peated and simply

climb to this position by being sentimental. Somehow the situation has reached

xpression. "Trust has to be earned, Ms. Collins," He slid one document across the coffee table, and all of a sudden the bright white paper with the black writing looked

ing at him. Austin shrugged. In regard to those, he said, "That is normal in s

in-a-lifetime chance. She hated the fact that even such a thought of compromis

e sounding strained. "But don't think I

ed sarcastically with a half-ope

on Sofia's mind this time as

it, but what was cheeky

, she was in New York, Manhattan. Anna pulled her coat closed and decided that she would not let

gan the battle to come, which would