Ethan, before I do som

the hallway. I didn't even look at his face. I kept my eyes on his fingers, which wer

ling of the cheap office coffee we used to share. "You're acting like I killed someone. I made a tactical m

to clear my name after you took your promotion? After Clara finished dragging my reputation th

e words sounding like a holl

he way I stayed up until 3:00 AM fixing your errors so you could look like a star. But the

sed in the boardroom, every bit of the betrayal that had been simmering since I saw h

didn't recognize. "Tomorrow morning, I'm walking into that firm as the Head of Operations. I'm going to be the one who decid

ving lover was gone, replaced by the bitter loser underneath. "You're just a shiny new toy for him. He's

nsive trash in this city,"

of expensive leather soles against the floorboards. The shadows seemed to stretch

s he approached, but the air in the hallway thickened until it was hard to breathe. He

voice was a low, vibrationally deep rumb

aining of color instantly. "As

ocked on mine, his gaze sweeping over my face, searchin

on. It was an obse

g," I repeated, my

treating him like a piece of furniture that was in the way. He reached out, hi

I see your shadow on this floor again, I won't bother firing you. I'll make sur

ng over his own feet as he bolted for the stairs. The heavy fire door slammed

n't pull his hand away. He moved closer, his heat radiating through my emerald

red, his thumb grazing the line

hammering against my ribs. "I've never ha

my ear, sending a jolt of pure electricity through my spine. "The world doesn't give yo

eye. He reached into his pocket and pulled

they know you're with me. The roses were just the beginning. They aren't going to wait for

d down on me. This wasn't just a p

y voice steadying despite t

all of my back, guiding me toward the elevator. "And we start t

allway of my old apartment, I looked at the black rose lying on the floor

, the girl who played

ching me with a look of dark, satisfied hunger. "Welcome to the real world,