t was a high-profile business gathering for investors, CEOs, and power brokers from across the
scanning her like she was a mispl
nds and exchanged smiles, but his fingers digging into
erating. It was pounding against her ribs, not just from nerve
d blonde hair approached them. Her lips curled into a smirk
's gaze sweep over
en said fla
a mocking smile. "Clarisse Hale.
hand lightly.
were engaged, once upon a time. I g
Damien, but his expression didn't ch
she added with a sly tone, "It's sweet, though,
s burned. "
a's ear so low only she could hear.
d but stayed. She swallowed the lump in her throat,
group of older men near the bar. One of them was tall
s been thinking of pulling his funding. Why do
inked.
rs. "Yes. Charm him. Convince
for this. She was a secretary, not a corporate hostess,
egan softly, "I heard you have been investing in green technologies lately. It
eased. "Well, someone has to care,
ersation. She spoke about charity projects, about how Thorne Enterprises could lead new innovations. She didn't know if it wa
n," Mr. O'Connell said with a grin.
,but Damien didn't thank her. He just gave her a cold, a
tant set up a meeting." Then to Ava, with a force
made the word darlin
ered water for herself and wine for Dami
leaning casually against the
he said smoothly
are you here? What d
her face, his eyes softening. "You're not built for his world,
care?" she
replied. "And I know what happens when people stay too lo
wrong, that Damien wasn't as cruel as he seemed. Bu
mien appeared behind her, hi
e like a blade. "Find someone
"Always so protective, Da
nched. "Stay out
s that what this is? Or is she
fr
htened on her arm
e table, his grip bruising. She could feel his anger radiating off him like fire
him, Ava. Do y
did
u unde
t tighten
he near him again, I'll make sur
caught. "Yo
mile said
he window while Damien scrolled through his phone, completely unaffected
, Damien stopped at the doorway of
said softly. "Don't
g her alone with her racing thoughts and
her phone. There was another
Damien, meet me alone tom
r thumb hovered over
destroy her, but if she didn't
room suddenly opened without warning. Damien
g?" he asked in a l