ockwoo

ies, and to the bril

Aria as the lounge music thudded around us. We had started drinking the night before, and somehow the celebration had lasted until dawn. Th

Armani jacket. The scent of her orchid perfume filled the space

lk tie. "We finally cut that pathetic anchor loose. Without Aria dragging us down

her face when security dragged her out in cuffs was priceless. She

te espionage trial began, Lockwood Industries would already be worth half a billio

ss of champagne, her face flu

from her hand. "The press conference for our new flagship line is

nst my arm. "Tomorrow, the entire world will worship th

ke off with a

gers and shattered across the mahogany table, ch

d at the mess. "Wh

r throat as her face drained of color.

. "Inside... it's bur

oughing fit shook her body, and dark blood spil

rough the ha

via

as Vivian curled on the fl

Someone call 911!"

aside. I lifted Vivian into my arms. Her skin wa

financial press caught wind of this before our

he service exit and fla

throwing a stack of five-hundred-dollar bills

vian's head resting against my k

ut tomorrow's press campaign than her condition.

glass canopy of St. Hope Hospital's private emerge

cute internal he

d the emergency unit, connecting

ium, breathing hard as I wiped Vivi

issions desk, the executive el

with six security guards

erling

view. Arthur and Grace Sterling, the leaders of the global

g and pitch Lockwood Industries as a distribution partner for their raw

eady preparing my best cor

encrypted tablet in her trembling ha

color p

jawline. Those unmis

r

ed. A chill ra

on the private tablet o

d again, Arthur Sterling was already guiding his wife into a p

d under

mind, Zack," I mutte

an underfunded shelter. Now she was sitting in a freezing detention cell after being arrested for co

e has been stabilized. The acute gastric hemorrhage has been

ket, slipping back in

tanium American Express card on the counter. "Put her in the presid

ood. The entire top floor, including the royal penth

Did you not hear me? I'

h-tier patron," the nurse interrupted calmly. "The hospital's primary surgic

e

ablet flashed thro

connected. Then I pushed it aside. Whoever was upstairs had to be so

oor, I would use my connections. I wou