t bother flipping the light switch. The gray morning light filtering through t

amiliar furniture. He opened his mouth to speak, trying to

rtment with obvious disgust and dropped onto the Italian

the kitchen island, crossing her arms over her chest

ena said, staring at the clo

Real Estate is drowning. The supply chain credit just got cut this morning. The

out as if to touch her. "I did this to protect you.

ed a Clorox wipe from the counter and aggres

y?" Alena's voice dripped with pure ac

the armrest of the sofa. She stoo

were just a boring, frigid placeholder

trina, shut up!" he snapped, his de

he couldn't believe she had wasted three years of

wer, and grabbed a thick stack of bound paper. She walked bac

him hard and scatte

u," Alena said, her voice rising. "The one you used to beg the Spencer execut

mask completely fell off. His eyes dar

Birkin bag, pulled out a stapled legal documen

that you and Darrin broke up mutually six months ago, and

manded she leave New York and surrende

up the document, ripped it cleanly in half

two to every media outlet in the ci

He didn't hit her, but his large hand shot out, cla

e breath out of her. He stepped into her space, using his larger frame to pin her against the

have any idea what is at stake here? If you ruin my career, if you breathe a word of this to the press, I

r bones together. Alena's heart hammered aga

the counter behind her. Her fingers wrapped ar

e sharp steel tip directly against Da

es wide and completely insane. "I swear

from his face. He ripped his hands away from her

hing violently. She threw the knife onto the

screamed, point

in's arm and dragged him toward the exit. But

ked, triumphant smile sp

ed. "That's fine. Dad already took

a fr

ree shiny new stents, can handle the news

med the

the chest. Her legs gave out, and s