Cross had seen through her at his party, she knew the job had just become a million times harder. And when he asked wh

breath. She pressed her palm against the throbbing scar on

't going

ed herself off the col

ded an

ew just wh

sted steel, the perfect place to pour out her anger. She picked

ooked at h

rusted cabinet cracke

r her boots. But no

ding shards raining down onto the concrete floor. She didn't f

and swung it at an old crate, the wood cr

tle bubble, a place where she could

under her skin, and sh

get was

fidence. The way he had twisted the fight

ated

n a broken mirror laughed at her, her lip w

harply and dro

wanted a game, she would end i

k was spent doing

every connection, every file, every whisper of

ement. A secret

done, she knew exa

would not be snea

ing right in

dul Industries like

ted black dress that hugged her curves, professional enoug

seduce. But she nee

king as unfazed as ever. His green eyes flic

nned. "You've got some e

lder onto his desk. " Oh shut up, you f

ing on you, your silly fetishes, the offshore accounts, your illegal deals, your

, slapping the pages of the

itical manipulation

w does it feel to know you're goin

blink. Inste

smile that made

closed t

h, or should I call you Lena?" He tilted his

room suddenly

sed up before s

o

did

ould

standing up and walking around the desk. "You're

w, her mask cracking

sounding like roars, as

eople hunting you found you? If the people you work for knew

then, sh

ged at him, aiming st

was f

ehind her back and slamming her against th

with ease. His breath was warm aga

mper, baby"

. "You b

holding her the

cussing business, not war. "You destroy me, and I destroy you. Or-" He leane

f

dn't be

grip just enough for her to turn he

marry you?" she snarled loud

rk only

ed, caressing her hair. "A contract marriage means we're forced

raced. Thi

spitting her next

rathe

th, she threw her head back,

g back, and in that sec

n't was

the window, her body

ll out behind her, "L

eady leaping th

.

sprinted down the alley, her heartb

unning until she

dy hands, she d

" she sai

s cold and furious.

he phone in

echoed in t

her mouth as she wiped her b

running the blade across her fingers

er lips as she whis

got persona

ared into the night, his mind racing. She was dangero

ugh the pages with a frown. There was more to he

ing to find o