er nostrils. She opened her eyes, blinking against the harsh fluorescent lights,

ed. When he saw her eyes open, his shoulders dropp

re of gauze taped over her forehead. A dull, throbbing ache puls

en. Brendan Walls walked in. He was wearing a fresh, perfectly tailored navy s

sheer, oppressive weight of his presence i

da. She gave him a tiny, almost imperceptible nod. Emmet swall

feeling. He reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out a black leath

he five-million-dollar investment contract. On the last page, Bren

ey fob with a silver Porsche crest and dropped it directly ont

e completely devoid of emotion. "For t

tled in her stomach. This wasn't an apology. This was hush money. A classi

dside table, grabbed a plastic pen, and signed

icated flicker of annoyance flashed in his e

r feet over the edge of the bed. "I need to get

r to the mattress. "You are staying here for another two days for observation. Th

ction is complete, Mr. Walls. NovaTech can't wait forty-eight hours. If I drop dead from

ened, but he didn't reach for her again. He turned ar

charge waivers and ignoring the furious protests of the nursing staff, Aida wal

nd immediately sat down at her desk. She began typing furiously, processing t

ss. Outside her glass walls, the open-plan office was co

d. She pushed her chair back and stood up, intending to

he heavy, echoing thud of a man's footstep

d a beat. She turned her hea

son Lott. His face was covered in dark purple bruises, and

eat broke out across her back. She

ce. "Did you really think Walls could just lock me away? My father's legal team had the precinct com

e forced Aida to back up until the back of her thig

t across the smooth surface of the desk until they brushed against th

g her in. He leaned in close, burying his face in the

in. "Or I make one phone call, and my venture capital network-which just so happens to own the majority debt of y