She rubbed the tight muscles at the back

wooden desk. The screen lit up

he swiped the green button and

ately filled the speaker, launching into he

nounced, leaving no room for argument. "His name is M

pital has been crazy, I'm too

e family elder. "I am doing this for your own good, Alai

arred's phone wallpaper. She didn't have the energy

e desk and ran her hands thr

stood in front of her ope

ailored black silk slip dress.

and you will be the show-stopping Sera of the night! I swear, ever since c

nicknames, Claire." She grabbed her clutch, slippe

attan. The car pulled up to an e

rs. The sound of soft jazz and the low

l greeted her with a polished s

ading Alaina through the dim

. He was sitting in a corner bo

up quickly, flashing an eager

sat down, and handed her tr

idden behind a curtain of crystal b

k leather sofa. He held a crystal glass

Rhodes, sat across from him, deeply eng

ze drifted through the gaps in the cr

woman in the black silk d

difference in Jarred's eyes vanished, replac

. He saw the way Mark looked at Alaina-a l

around the whiskey glass.

essed rage. The ice cubes clinked

d the burning liquor in one shot. A viol