the phantom feeling of Connor's presence in her apartment. She scrubbed her skin

soft, feminine clothes she'd worn for Connor and went straight to the back. She pulled out a

nto a tight, severe bun, applied a slash of dark red lipstick, and slid on a pair of oversize

to hail her a cab. She needed to walk, to feel the pavement under he

It was about ego. He was a man who had everything-a beautiful fiancée, a promising career, a perfect life. It was boring. Amber wa

the pillar of the community, had craved the secret adoration of his wife's younger, less accomplished sister. I

sour taste in her mouth. She had chosen a man cut from th

axi pull up to the curb just ahead of her. The door opened,

be

tically texting Connor, and when h

rise when she saw Jocelyn. But the surprise was quickly replaced by a smug,

concern. She raked her eyes over Jocelyn's severe outfit. "Di

ose, revealing her cold, clear eyes. There was

e said, her voice even. "I g

ad expected. She had come prepared for a screaming match, for t

ve," she declared, as if saying it would make it true. "You should

amusement. "Love? Oh, honey. You don't know the first thing about love. You'

ash of anger crossed Amber's face. "You're ju

e lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, a snake's hiss

, your mother, Heather, with her history of poor judgment and insatiable greed, will inevitably follow a str

disbelief and fury. "You're lying

uchability, means his little habit of plagiarizing his graduate students' work will finally catch up to him. He'll be exposed. He'll los

ds were insane, but the conviction with

blackmail him. But it will backfire spectacularly. Because Connor is far more ruthless than you, and you're not

control. With a cry of rage, she swung her

in a grip of steel, her fingers digging into the soft flesh. Amb

o a deadly whisper. "You started this war, litt

arm back, making he

e chilling fire in her eyes. She turned her back on her stunn

g. Jocelyn's words echoed in her mind, a terrifying, i

n woman. It was the look of a predator who had just marked its prey.