. The office was too bright, the air-conditioner too cold, and my heartbeat far too loud. I held the shortlist in m

regarded

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an L

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or comforting, then stamped the d

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mach d

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n bi

o turni

t due to his exceptional financial profile and the stability his empire could bring

fr

chosen a

es

just submitted

last night," the barrister said. "They

ate

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nvenience, his name showing up

been in

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cul

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tly, "he will be

rected. "For contract

t care about t

ormed in

ster added. "A private meeting is required be

se stu

to fac

e boy w

returned with an

y at my desk. My laptop glowed l

blank ema

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once been my entire world...and the

aled

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as bus

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ffice@Sterling

t for a Private

froze

fo

co

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old than

ntin

Ster

at you were selected as the primary candidate for the temporary c

st tig

typing

to finalize terms before we proceed. Please r

sita

I add T

o

ed comfort. I wa

ed: R

omach

e email for fi

was dis

was resu

ly in the hands of a man

cked

g sound felt

andom notification and I nearly jumped out of her skin. I gra

es pa

ir

xt

l no

ed my

the edge

ed my

ed it

he ign

his was h

said yes

f he s

mpire that held meetings with presidents and s

to a girl he left b

amily business

was, to him

bed, pressing a

was f

r have left h

I needed

ded c

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interrupte

p screen

- SterlingTe

unged into

ened

eath

't a se

an automat

't an a

was

Rhys S

uest for a Priva

ngers clicked

ec

ow at 9 a.m. at SterlingTech Headquarters, Eleventh

.

or

tro

ionl

e than any message I ha

why I needed

t ask ho

if I agreed to the

ply ac

'd been

eeting wasn'

e saw i

the ema

n a

n a

ame chill spread

orr

oing to

-to-

o had brok

the worl

d volunteered himself

n't s

tr

I closed my eye

with mango juice on his fi

enched, telling a repo

unreadable, staring at cam

reconcile t

t which one I wou

led. The sky turned from black to st

forced hersel

ed com

eng

mo

sn't a

s a neg

how

es

ir into a lo

ror, I didn't look like

a woman walk

ood outside Sterli

o the sky. Cars lined the circular driveway. Security was everywher

se thr

ed into ano

wo

and walked towa

ke an airport than an office. Screens lit the walls with market update

hed the f

steadier than I felt. "I'm h

lightly, just slightly, before sh

am

ce K

Kay. Mr. Sterling

ect

een counting

onist press

she said. "You'l

wed the usher to t

ms wer

ath, u

t... te

ator doo

pped

oors

s goi

ard an

ward

ward

I once

would soon

the truth I had been avoiding since

not r

levator d

pt ri

into Rhys Sterling's world woul

s wr

m has

m has

ns that warn yo

the doors slid open, what greeted me was silence, thick, cold,

e from

he owned every inch of the

eppe

idor, walls made of tinted glass, marble floors kissed

allo

sn't an

a thron

aiting inside

k suit stepped forward

said. "Mr. Sterlin

ad

it me like

expec

this m

ng fo

loudly, like an accidental rebellion against the oppressive quiet.

t of two enormous

ant pushed

righ

aled

ld

lked i

nthouse office, was c

ing, dizzying view of the entire city below, cars like ants, bui

black steel, dark marble, sharp lines. No

ere he

urned

n his p

owned every building, every stree

gs tig

Ste

de

oa

ld

usly co

I knew w

s m

e the final versi

ed my

k, his voice cut th

o

oo

ec

re ea

art j

even tur

oice. "You r

nd, but enough for ten

finall

world

e, eyes I used to recognize instantly, eyes

y were

ar

ss that

me withou

ilence in one l

e same," he

se stu

t was a compliment

t," I w

s mouth lifted

e acknow

agreed. "

a step

t o

o pull the air

ou been back in

was almos

mo

drowning," I answered. "Sinc

aw fl

er? frustration?, crossed h

," he said, "you'r

par

ody stiffen

dn't

ut my name on the

st tig

e it

on that he

he tr

coinci

i

fast, too raw. "Why

t time, his

re

I sa

not re

is t

h his nose, contr

ally," he said. "This is

not an

only one

nger flared

doing i

ing w

ing the

verything t

pped

softly. "You owe me

le

osing the gap until only inch

wallowed the s

me with eyes too s

u nothing

ords

them, his voice s

for me to

've step

red this was negoti

his

o

d me in li

om me, Rhys?" I aske

dropped t

ath hi

ous sparked between us,

arity," he

the con

ut y

art s

ys.

and l

fr

ight break. The shock of warmth shot straight th

g," he said softly. "Into m

shed the corn

g breath e

ing like I'm the o

d low in m

as inches

ously

too c

d again, this time

es dar

quietly, "and I will forget every rea

almost

en

tion tore thr

ph

ent sha

kly, too quickly, ri

died m

't look

dn't

desk, picked up the p

ced me again, the

s re

ol re

cuss terms," he

llowe

cou

would hide be

lway

tened my

I said.

ice wasn'

s flick

d, just for

ee

s lips felt l

t be easy,

eplied. "

ll f

t li

ll ha

ready

ugh escaped him,

e starting

apped arou

ime, it wa

as h

ar

iv

reliminary agreemen

odd

day?" I

es hel

y, "you walk out of he

ait

ain, just enough for

e only one who

eath

ld speak, he

sation

ing

ngs b

my h

ive wire, sparki

toward

eshold, I

ng at the sk

n his p

k t

ls

lection in

o

tion was w

the

e

lked out before

doors close

lse r

ps ti

wer felt like stepping out of the gravity o