nt

ensive electronics. Ellsworth sat behind his desk, a wall of glass and steel between them, his attention f

eak room-black, two sugars, exactly how he took it. She set the cup

osed around

t his palm. He didn't look up from his tablet. He simply applied pressure, pulling her backward until she was ben

His breath was warm. M

fessional. The voice she used for conference calls with Singapore

k," he in

oncealer was thickest, where the bruise from his mouth sa

ound. Her teeth sank into the inside of her cheek, and she tast

made her stomach clench with memory. He was watching her face with an intensity that felt li

ing," he

ked up the Morgan file and threw it at her chest. She caught

iability assessment, and the projected EBITDA for the next eight quar

knees didn't buckle until she was

against the places that were still healing, made her vision gray out. She gripped the edge of her de

Her fingers found the k

shake. He watched her pause, her hand moving to her abdomen, pressing hard before

phone and diale

voice was steady. He

for next week.

ourse

as worse-grayish, translucent-but her hands held the papers w

ir. He crossed his arms over his

tremor that traveled up to her shoulder. She didn't lower it. She didn't speak. She simply stood there, off

for thirty sec

the folder from her fingers. H

ake what we're paid for. We give value for money." Hi

er do,

He felt them like a hook beneath his ribs, p

ut," h

door closed so

s hand found the lighter in his pocket and turned i