taring blankly at her computer screen,

with a Bluetooth earpiece and a clipboard. "Ms. Ayers

lead. She followed the assistant down the corridor, pas

ed the door and ge

ooked the city skyline. Keven was standing with his back to her,

icked shut

s gone. In its place was the cold, h

w and dangerous. "There's no one here to pe

nt of her, digging her nails int

Slipping into my company, into my department... is th

her voice shaking despite her best efforts. "I app

ackyard. You expect me to believe that? The woman who ran away the secon

her ground. "I need this job, Kev

her. "Everything has to do with me. This is my

led out his checkbook. He clicked

ckbook, a wave of nausea

s eyes boring into hers. "Ten thousand? Fifty?

here to extort him. He thought she was still th

anger, but she also saw something else. A flicker of something raw beneath th

ice quiet but firm. "I want to work. I earn

a moment, he looked almost surprised by he

s back on her again. "Before I

heart hammering against her ribs. She didn't stop until she

ner of The Oak Room, a high-end whiskey bar. He swirled the a

him, signaling the bartender for a drink. "Y

ven muttered. "Or I

The woman from the police

uyout," Keven said, his tone bitte

't belie

, Eliot. The second things got tough, she walked away. And now, four years la

ybe. Or maybe she just needs a job. She didn't

ven said flatly. "She'

e meant. "You're still t

t stop. Four years, Eliot. Four year

," Eliot said softly. "

y. And then, out of nowhere, a million dollars was injected into the company account. It was routed through a shell corporation, structured as a zero-interest,

iracle," El

know who threw it. I need to know who believed in m

arried only saw a sinking ship. The stranger who saved me saw something worth

swer. He just lifted hi

rink. He was too busy thinking about the woman in the be

a they were t