ghtly around her chest, shivering. Phillip's demand echoed in her

shoving his hands deep

his voice rough. "My rented room is

and handed Drake a single brass key on a cheap ring. The cold metal bit into his palm. He

years ago," Phillip said coldly. "You two c

er stomach tightened. The desperate need

"We can't live there for

ed at Ayla, a flicker of genuine r

othly. "Five hundred dolla

ps moving silently. His chest went cold with suspicion. She was good. She was

e he got in, he shot Drake a lethal, warning glare. Do not mess this

ardness between Ayla and Drake w

id, pointing to a greasy spoon acr

rake's stomach churn. He reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled o

n. It was a six

reement." The pages were filled with dense, aggressive legal jargon. It was a brutal expansion of the orig

" she asked, h

ford a lawyer, but I need to protect myself. The first agreement was too vague. This makes t

had no right to ask about his schedule. She had no right to any assets he might acquire. If t

id burning his tongue. He watched her face, waiting for the explosion. He

ed slightly. She c

t a pen, and flipped to the last page. She

acted. His breath hi

e cracking slightly. "You didn't even argue

Her eyes were

d softly. "I have nothing for you to steal. This agreement prote

ake's mouth opened, but the sarcastic insult he had prepared di

ndum and put it in her bag. She

go back to Queens to pack my things,

of irritation. He stood up

knot in her gut. She had already texted her friend Marisol an hour ago, asking her to be present at the apartment as a witness and to record everything on her phone. Marisol had replied with

usands on a single bottle of wine, was just rejected because he wa

r steps purposeful. Drake stood by the table, his eyes locked on h

led a sleek, encrypted phone from his pock

answered i

e icy, commanding tone of a CEO. "I want every detail of her life on my desk. And Alex, get a security detail on her. Discreet

r, the board meeting for the tech

he subway station. Hi

rake snapped. "I have a p

ed the door and slapped the dust off the driver's seat w

d hood. Drake had specifically ordered his mechanics to install an acoustic dampener to keep the sound profile convincingly pathetic. The car pul

ed white. He swore to himself that he would make this fa