he met Julian's gaze directly, the earlier vulnerabi

was an art form. Paige had used her body as a weapon; there was a dark, poetic justice in turning that same

her voice low and steady

y followed by a renewed spark of interest. He raise

attraction, but of assessment. She was evaluating a tool. A weapon. She thought of Paige, of how she

heir own tactic

until she could feel the warmth radiating from his body

e murmured, her voice just above a whisp

between them, unmis

ouching his lips. "Are you proposing

index finger trace the silk of his tie, the fabric cool ben

almost imperceptibly. He had expected tears, or a business proposal, or a request for information.

of his plan. But the look in her eyes-that defiant, b

stopping their slow journey up his chest. His voice

intense gaze and threw his ques

In that instant, the power dynamic shifted. He was

hing against her ear, his voice a low, conspiratorial whis

ccepted

s and crackling with a raw, volatile energy. This wasn't about desire. It was about rage, about r

o his. It was a brutal, punishing kiss, filled with all the anger and humiliation of the day. He resp

the foyer to the bedroom. It was a battle, a desperate, primal act of two people taking back control in th

. There was no tenderness, no regret. She had done what she needed to do. She

fingers, the smoke curling toward the ceiling. He had never met a woman like her. So comp

a phone sliced thro

nightstand. The screen lit u

fa

control vanished, replaced by the familiar, cold dread of duty. S

o, Fa

ough the phone. "Where have you been? Carter's been

reached him. But his concern was

aving no room for argument. "You will not jeopardize this merger. Do n

ery revenge. She was right back where she started. A pawn. A commodity. A dau

he weight of her reali