in icy, diagonal sheets across

d whipped her soaked hair across her face. The expensive silk dress clung to her skin, the dark red wine

ers were numb as she pulled her phone from her Birk

e requested a ride back to

ed up on the screen. P

card and manually typed in the numbers

it su

Please contact your

ed her out; he had severed her financial arteries within minutes. He

of dirty street water splashed over E

e opened her contacts

cut through the storm. A bright pink Porsc

ger door p

her interior was warm and smell

behind the wheel. Tess pulled down her oversized Chanel sung

s. Then, her eyes locked onto the angry, re

s asked. Her voice

against the headrest. She

ld her everything. She spoke in a flat, detached voice. She told her ab

ring wheel. She unleashed a string of

as the Manhattan skyline came into view. "I don't

o. Leland will threaten your father's supply c

from the cold, but her movements were deliberate. She reache

ed document. The paper was s

" Tess asked,

e said softly. She traced the embossed seal on the paper. "Leland doesn't know about it.

face. "Eleonora was a genius. So, where are we going?

lurred together. Suddenly, an image flashed in her mind. Fletcher's cold,

ni wanted her father. Da

trust document. A fierce, burning heat ig

commanded. "To the industr

o Elodie, horrified. "Are you insane? You're going to that broke

m me," Elodie said. Her voice was

raffiti-covered brick building in SoHo. Elodie pushed

filled with various odors, and watched the numbers on th

y iron door with the

h. Her ribs ached. Sh

rom the inside. The deadbolt

ay sweatpants. His chest was bare, his skin damp with fresh

. His eyes loc

ring frame. And then, his eyes snapped to the vio

is eyes. His hands twitched at his sides, his knuckles instantly turnin

cefully shoved the emotion down,

doing here?" his voice

her way into the apartment. She walked straight to the wor

ifted her chin, staring

ice didn't tremble. "My father c