uided her up with a hand on the small of her back. His touch was firm, scorching

in. Her legs f

ic

nical seal separating her from the alley, the knife, a

vast, smelling of sandalwood and the fa

it the ignition, and the massive engine purred to life, vibra

d against Fait

out, her teeth chattering so hard her jaw ached. She wrapped her arms around herself

sting bile. "I can't go back to my apartment. They know where I live.

he tires crushing gravel. His knuckles

His voice was low, devoid of any i

pulled at the bruise forming on her temple. "

er chest, momentarily eclipsing the cold. If Earl's team swept that apartment, they wouldn't just find baby clothes; they would find the encryp

ss three lanes of traffic with the arrogance of a man who owned th

have a life. I have my shifts a

r a second. His eyes were bl

Faith. You don't worry about le

m, pulsing and frantic. She felt small. Powerless. Her mind raced to the suburbs, to the small, nondescript house where her so

ion hitting her like a physical blow. "Earl, the baby... h

he safe house in Naperville. They will secure the perimeter before we ev

't know she was holding. He was

turned into the underground garag

, and money. The kind of place where the doormen wore ear

private bay. He k

ut

o buttons. He pressed his palm against a black

s Gra

ors sl

gging her hoodie tig

bers climb on the display. "Technically, it's a corporate asset for visit

She noticed the way his hand trembled slightly as he lowered it from the scanner. Not fro

ned directly int

d breathing

360-degree view of the skyline and the black void of Lake Michigan. The furniture was sparse

was cold. It was a

ointing to the sunken li

o dirty the pristine white leather with the grime of the all

r hands. They we

one hand and a gel ice pack in the other. He set the drink on th

he heat coming off

off,"

pper of her hoodie. Her f

her hands asi

it down her shoulders. Faith shi

es were focused on her shoulder, wher

ured. He pressed the col

d, jerking

ld the ice there, his large hand encompassing her entire

took a large swallow. The alcohol burned her throa

ere level with hers. Up close, she could see the red veins in the whites of his eye

tighter. "About the Boar

out

s', Earl. There's a contract

ng the skin, then pressed it back. "The Board is like a pack of wolve

'm trying to figure out how to l

eel was back in his voice. "You need immuni

n the floor. He took both her hands in his. His th

ing to get

left t

e blinked, sure she had

ha

s if he were discussing a merger time

pull her hands away, but he held fast. "We hat

. "Think, Faith. As my wife, you have spousal privilege. You have the Hampton name. Th

her eyes narrowing. "You don't do chari

ned hands. For the first time, the mask slip

p," h

rowned.

nesty in his eyes terrified her more than the mercenary had. "Since you left. It's the... silence.

his forehead almost

d has been quiet. You are the only thing that works.

Hampton, brought to his knees by inso

r voice hollow. "My safety for

ability vanishing behind the CEO mask again. "I solve your debt. I

r

it so

hought about the man with the knife. She thought about her son,

oney. No all

He was waiting. His han

se," he said. "I'll have the

de down her cheek. Sh

pulled out her wallet. Her fingers tre

d it in E

she wh

ile. He didn't gloat. He just nodded, a solemn acce

ly to her feet. "Go shower. The master bath is

toward the kitchen, p

"Initiate the wedding protocol. Have legal draft the NDA supplements

empty, expensive room. She touched the

was

e was