s impeccable, his gray suit perfectly tailored. His eyes flicked brief

irs. She pulled open the top drawer and retrieved a piece of heav

b of the pen scratched aggressively against the thick paper as she listed ever

knell for her social life. Tears of genuine, unadulterated panic fi

Audrey. Her voice cracked, losing

her. "You can't do this. I need those bags! I have the Me

hand moved swiftly across the page. Her vo

rocery tote for all I car

urish. She capped the gold pen with a loud click an

r types, hardware colors, and specific carat weights. His respect for Audrey's newly revealed meticul

Arthur direc

ce ringing with authority. "Escort Ms. Parsons to he

, adding a cold, loud caveat mea

Jasmin's earlier lie, "you are to immediately contact the NYPD gr

had to grab the edge of a chair to stay upright. She realized Audrey was a

y and slipped it into his breast pocket. His profess

massive front double doors with a white-glov

me, Ms. Parsons," Arthur req

e looked at Audrey with a toxic mixture of hatred and shee

ping closer and dropping her voice so only Audrey could hear. "I'll make sure he nev

p, humorless sound that cut t

g with a dangerous light. "Call him right

ait for Jasmin to move. He signaled with a sharp, subtle nod of his he

bulk cast long, intimidating shadows over Jasmin. They didn't sp

red completely. She was terrified of t

rgue. She practically scurried out the front doors, her head bowe

was not directed toward her usual luxury sedan. Instead, she was unceremonious

ammed shut with a solid thud. The SUV sped down the lo

nsing breath. A profound sense of satisfaction washed over h

oom. She held a silver tray with a crystal glass of sparkling wa

. "Thank you, Eleanor

s landed on a massive, garish neon-and-chrome sculpture she had placed ne

she was cleaning house, she decided the physi

r. Her voice was aut

ather the staff,"

. What are

ed. "The neon sculptures, the zebra-print rugs, the abstract paintings. Move it all to the basement s

her home. Once the order was given, a wave of profound exhaustion hit her. She leaned heavily against the cool marble of the staircase, her legs trembling slightly under the cashmere skirt