her heels clicking frantically on the hardwood. She held the che

ith dust or paint. She had once found them charming, a sign of honest wo

. She went to Jefferson's

otification s

er liked

d turned

whispered. "He

take. It wasn't support

executive ass

dered, her voice shaking. "I need to know where he went.

later, her

sounded terrified

you mean

o run a credit check, and my screen went red. It says 'Classified Acce

d? He's a construction w

s been erased, Brittni. O

the phone onto

t he was gone; it was that the man she thought she knew was a ghost. She

again. She answer

did you se

run out of rent money?" Jefferson l

d I think I ma

IPO," Jefferson cooed. "Forget him. Yo

idn't look like a queen. She looked like a woman

ate, the heavy oak

d into the Grand Hall. The air was chi

f the hall, beneath a massive ch

oking polished in a navy suit

was sharp, her eyes predatory. She wa

, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

d straight toward Jaiden. He stopped tw

ce said calmly. "I'm the landlord

falters. His

presence filled the room. "Let's eat. We hav

ng room, leaving his brother standing