ffice, attempting to gather myself. My heart still

ng here was al

at Damian had no

could he possibl

s. Too many. A

t them into pushing too hard, too fast. D

he door and headed down the hall, vowing

orgetting was

walked into the main lobby,

e owned the place, talking the ear off the poor girl behin

. I was hoping fo

g on the folder I was holding.

sweetheart. That is no wa

d. "You were n

ression for an instant before he got himself under

e was talking

still responded not in

never been

en my m

barely

he beating heart of Blackwood Enterpr

you're playing, but whatever you're doin

ser. "Oh, Elena," he murmured. "Y

iffe

ce was almost teasing.

mach t

g. He had t

th existed in his words then I'd just stepp

will not esc

nothing about

ed his head

ed into his pocket, produc

said, shoving it into my h

ted. "Wh

ndly reminder of who's 

hrow it at hi

I di

ficant, something that might bring

eart. You would think you would be running from the past, but sometime

s, it cat

s he walked out the door, and I was left standing

llowe

two op

Damian, the way

en it

sky. If Damian discove

hiv

native? Stayi

ldn't

d on my heel and marched toward

one way

 to discove

took the elevator u

r than it should've been-like it containe

g Nathan's wo

ike you're running for your past, but s

't tru

ver lay within this

d walked toward Damian's office. His assistant

go in,"

ant, then grasped th

and his penetrating eyes shot u

or the first time since I'd me

ready why

ope on his desk. "Natha

unchanged, but somethin

ck the seal with his thumb.

a single she

ad

th

e demeano

les in his jaw tightened. A dark shadow passed over

 looked like

ngerous.

n the roo

I had opened that d

wed. "Wh

the paper neatly, returned it to the envelop

wasn't

lly said, his voice deceptively calm. "So 

spiked. "

me, his eyes u

hiv

that was good n

ward. "Damian... What

ere was no humor in his face. "You

ted. "Do

le

d

g here if I let men li

et. But there was

have felt

idn

ngs weren't

him, why had Damian delighted i

bout him changed bec

f you don't give a shit about whatever's in that lette

didn'

er on the desk. "Because men like Nathan don

ply. "And what

darkene

mach f

n always had a reason

only here

ere for

uddenly claustrophobic. "

back his cha

ve to worry a

comforting about

 him, my he

hat he can do," I

re was something dangerous in the curve of h

hiv

layed with t

caught right in

e secure knowing Damia

is cold, steadfast ey

r they game the

just a

pa

ever s