d shut, cutting off Barre

floor of the hallway, a sharp, rhythmi

he elevator, the door

nged forward, grabbing my wrist with a bruising grip. "If you walk into that e

ping my wrist. My pulse p

rm sharply, br

ng with venom. "I'm sick of staying up all night c

nd hit the button for the underground garage. The doo

es squealing slightly against the concr

radio. The silence in

Gus was a Wall Street titan, the primary venture capitalist b

could hear the thwack of a golf cl

e than the Montgomery family's discarded shell playing dress-up at a startup. "If Barrett sent

dropping an octave. "Authorizat

other end of the line. The sound

ll arrogance. "Miss Montgomery? That... that is the absolute highest fam

funding,"

use

ion. I want it pulled. Immediately. Initiate the wit

bankrupt him," Gus stammered

rust will liquidate every positi

done," Gus sa

ion in the rearview mirror. My eyes were

mbers-only spa in Soho. I spent two hours getting a full-body scrub, a

to the Tribeca penthous

doors opene

d out an

s wearing an ill-fitting, last-season Chanel twe

ta R

she saw me in my vintage velvet gown, her eyes widened in s

d it with a sickly-sw

Oh, Harlow. You're home late. I was just coming to pick

raight toward the door, forcing

keypad code. The

n, Crista tried to

d, her tone dripping

ed my forearm backward, catc

lost her balance and fell hard onto the hallway carpet,

. "You assaulted me! Barrett gave me fifty million dollars today! H

at her sprawle

said, my voice flat and bored. "If you're going to steal fifty m

hite. Her mouth opened and

ator din

s custom suit, his tie undone, looking like a man who had just looked dow

scene: Crista on the flo

rs. She scrambled up and threw

r face in his shirt. "She pushed

s back, but his eyes were locked on me. He was searchin

und n

ing them with the detached curiosity

ble shudder through Barrett. It terri

re?" Barrett hissed, trying to peel her

t s

th the stress of his collapsing company. He dragg

ute betrayal as the doors clo

me, running a trembling

peak, my phone bu

out. A text

Bernardin. Private Ro

real, terr

partment and shut the