ment broke a

he interne

tmore realized there

ian Calloway's Manhattan headquarters, watching the city pul

rprise Engagement. Investigative Journalist Eleanor Wh

multiplied b

astian remained

tablet as if they had just announced a quarterly ea

n twelve countries

. "My editor has ca

hould

say w

in love with a morally q

narrowed.

was again, that unsettling shift when the

utes. Twenty minutes until the world dissected

le," Sebasti

lie to the e

ut to prote

"You really think

e quietly." The way he said it, clinical

ad tripled

screetly near every entra

d mea

the conferenc

out waiting to be announced. E

Publicly charming. Privately ruthless. And one of

d of man who enjoyed d

owly. "I wake up to find my favorit

t stand. "Good

Ellie, assessing. "And yo

she replied coolly.

odes." She

tulations," he said, though his eyes never l

" Sebastian rep

aw tighten

, "is about leadership stability. Marriage

greed calmly. "Bu

arked between them. Ell

casual rivals. They w

tly. "Power struggles aren't romantic." Before she could respond, Sebas

l be all,

ed. "For now." He left

xhaled

sn't li

e losing," Seba

nk he's

expression hardened. "I think

iancée's death?"

ness unse

t him walk a

I don't h

I come in." His ey

nference tim

cameras felt

ly at the small of her back a

ot intimate. But

how aware sh

ons came i

hen did this rel

estigating Calloway Industr

gic move ahead of

voice rema

nship developed over time, and we are both

uth. Strateg

lf to meet the cam

ity," she said clearly. "That includes

r half

oom b

sked the question s

lloway think of this

fractionally against her ba

truth." The way he said it steady but layered with somethi

hout disaster. But the w

stion hit like a

quieter than u

ember buying, presumably selected by someone in

zed again. Un

ered cau

e. You should have

oat tig

followed. Wives

slid down

it. Sebastian stood there, jacket removed, sleeves rolled up, a

n who hadn't s

ed it," he

no

y is tra

f they

." He step

lt different tonight. L

w exposed this would

r gently. "It doe

of a smile to

ave," he sa

owned.

fied. "You can walk away. I

ened. "And what

t your resp

tung more than

d firmly. "I don't run when

oftened ju

ust be unco

spoke. The silence fel

st easily," sh

N

se of

pause.

stripped of al

followed," he continued. "I

heart cl

ater." The guilt in h

have known," s

words carried years

d closer. Close enough to se

nvincible," s

believe

e between them. His gaze dropped briefly to her

n her stomach, un

t we said we wouldn'

ither mov

stretched

attered the wind

nward. Sebastian

as a second shot pierced the wall where

fir

. Security al

d hers completely. Solid

oice lethal. More shouting

opped as quickl

her for several second

es apart. Her br

de her head. His chest r

eding," she

iled down his temple w

noth

re no longer controll

hadn't just threatened his e

ully, he help

said quietly, "t

She reached up before she could stop herself. Her fingers brushed the

the world went

died," she

s nearly touched. The line b

aving," she

ened. "You ma

babl

between them.

marriage," s

since she met him, Seba

Not contro

sirens

more dangerous had jus

ttach

was prepared for w