envelope ever reached the church, Collette stood frozen. The fountain's rhythmic splashing felt li

countered, stepping into her personal space. "But five years from now, when he's working a desk job he hates to pay off a debt he can't escape, he will look at you and see the reason his dreams died. Love doesn't survive resentment, Collette. I'm offering you the chance to let him remember you as the one who got away, rather than the one who dra

ile touched his lips. He didn't bother to read the margin; he saw the ink where it belonged. To a man like him, the "why" didn't matter, only the result. "He's already being notified," Victor said. He reached out to touch her cheek, but she flinched away. He didn't seem bothered. "Go inside, Collette. Change out of that dress. It's a costume for a play that's been cancelled." As Victor turned and walked toward the church to del

e at th

ck gate of the estate, her white silk dress hiked up to her knees, screaming at a confused valet to give her the keys to a car, any car. Ian didn't run like a man escaping; he ran like a man coming home. He ignored the confused shouts of the wedding guests and the screech of tires as

nger of salt-rotted wood and steel reaching into the gray water. Collette's borrowed car fishtailed onto the gravel lot at the base of the pier. She jumped out, her white dress now stained with grease and s

UVs roared

losin

led by Marcus, Victor's lead strategist. They didn't move aggressively; they moved

er the crashing waves. "Mr. Hale is concerned for your s

ted, her back to the water. "I sign

Collette," a ne

ed toward her, the wind whipping his coat. "You tried to be clever with that note, Collette," Victor said, holding up the crumpled document Ian had thrown. "But all you did

whispered, though

s here? Only the man who

Ar

from the industrial bri

a fifteen-foot drop onto a pile of shipping p

was

, and he was drenched in sweat-but when he looked at Collette, the r

lle

r held up a hand. He wanted to watch this. He

ridges like a character in a cheap novel. Is this the 'certain

fixed on Collette. He stopped five fe

panted, his voice raw.

ly did it

ou did it to buy me time. Well, the time's up. I don't want the fir

al Calc

m, his face twisting into

onal property. Remove him." The guards stepped forward, but Ian didn't flinch. Instead, h

ou said you bought my debt, Victor. You

sneered. "Every

remote load-bearing alert on the foundation pilings. The city has to condemn the entire site within the hour. Since you're the s

hite. "You... you sabotag

t proved that some things are too broke

nly, catastrophically simple. The Riverside project wasn't just an asset; it was a labyrinth of environmental regulations and structural liabilities. By seizing it, Victor hadn't captured a prize he had tethered himse

venom lacked its usual bite. "You destroy

" Ian replied. He reached out, and this time

ift in the atmosphere the sudden transition from a

hollow. "I have calls to make. If that proj

d retreating into the only sanctuary he knew: damage control. He was a man of power, but as he stood on tha

ollette didn't r

s, and out toward the main road where the city noise b

to the city Collette stopped. She looked at Ian, at th

ered. "The firm, the project...

gineer, Collette. I know how to build from the ground up. The foundation is the only