i

ears

, invisible, just trying to move fast enough to not be seen. I d

ached

thed out like I'd just finished ru

ways did. I typed in my passcode like muscle m

lked in from

, swollen like he h

order

uld Immediately tell that

I asked, fingers alread

e that wandered from the first floor all t

was. His whole energy screamed confrontation.

assume. Just stay n

t me like tha

ed. "Li

close enough that I could smell his breath

slapped it

ve the time to t

ecurity just in ca

part right here. Tear him into

ldn't aff

t

verything. My

ead, we

d I told him off. My voice wasn't

t, the tension snapped lik

ed in, t

h

foolish at th

Erica.

turn. I already

inc

speak to a cust

idn't even bother t

he shouted, loud enough tha

even care what he d

I muttered. "And so

nd somewhere else to hide

igh

ds, fingers curli

t say any

d, I wanted to

oss. Because I had r

life I chose. It was o

to s

ack. Back t

blood. The claws

l with nothing but grit and sil

ions. I hadn't spoken to anyone from my

d, Chase ha

for

dn't

any times do I have to tell you-standing here means yo

g my best

re like perfume. "You think I should do everything around her

d not

e I'd

just wait. Let her talk h

t figured out why. Maybe I reminded her of som

added with a snort. "That's the problem, Kiara

o my post," I said,

nd on my waist, not even

e place made m

ang. The doorbel

urn

a VIP,"

Her eyes snapped to th

ne

asn't even excitement.

nd Prestige meant she could keep pretending I w

. She couldn't. I wa

ugh that door, she'd shove me out fr

t how peop

away, her heels clicking

hoed through

nitely not ju

o be som

him toward the back. The mea

ded... d

. Like a girl on a date, n

toed

racked. I pushed it ope

eaned slightly as he walked like the room i

tically bounci

s," she said in her overly sweet voice.

huck

oo

e

alone mad

't kno

laugh, that voice

didn't forget. The kind women

ned what it would be like to have someone li

lients seeing my designs, the way they

Eric

le ever

he claimed. Every com

because I ne

n town in five ye

round her neck. "I heard abou

is hand touched the tabletop casually, like even furni

she said. "You're my fav

ike when you pr

t was a joke they'

proba

ed to t

then, Eri

l you," she said, surpri

But I took it. I savored it while it la

resence hit even though I h

ng about him... S

ay that made my

ring tape close like

lenty of expensi

an-he was

wear luxury.

sten. The kind that told you he wasn't just r

tand there,"

ld move, his

er be,

d. I heard i

elted u

eption party," she said, too breathy now. "Al

ng her to handle the measurements

fore turning the smile back

lient who'd ever walk

ped fo

ca step

ve you to

m, heart kick

to tap his

tur

I fr

dropped fr

es sha

Recog

t- The color drai

as