friend getting played by a man

esperate and loud. She pushed with all her strength. Anton, caught off guard by

and practically fell out onto the dirty Brooklyn sidewalk. She sl

her. The panic in her eyes had been too real. She was hiding something. He pulled out his phone and dialed his head of

anhattan broke open, dumping fre

t to the miserable weather outside. Across the small table sat Julian and Hayden. Julian was s

llow. She was terrified Anton would find out ab

y in front of a fire hydrant, sat

the lights of the restaurant. He had read the security report. He knew she was he

ed. The three of them stood

down an inch. The freezi

a car. Anton watched as the man-Julian Meyers, Francesca's brother-turned to Hayden. Julian r

arms and kissed her. The gesture was possessi

ey, Anton's bloo

pieces together into a grotesque picture. Hayden was not

oral outrage, but because she was protecting her brother's territory. She ha

Anton's chest. His hands gripped the st

esca goodbye and climbed into the back seat. The car drove away, leavin

cross the street. Her breath hitched. Through the heavy r

ess the fear, the dri

overcoat, but he did not seem to feel the cold. He walked straight across the street, his b

r heart leaping into he

through the sound of th

rain plastered his dark hair to his f

e disgust rolling off him in waves. "You and your

t hair whipping across her face. "What? No,

fingers brushing the

t touc

rce. Francesca lost her balance on the slippery, wet pav

eet water. The impact sent a shockwave of pain up her spine. The icy wat

by stopped and stared

in was nothing compared to the crushing humiliation. Her throat cl

n at her sitting in the mud, and hi

said, his voice dropp

tley, got in, and drove away. The tires sent