st for the reasons she thought. The man had a knack for making a simple request sound like

n one hand, a folded sheet of paper in the other. His assistant was

istant said, her eyes flicking everywhere except Elena's. "The press might take

s to nosy reporters. A little note suggesting they should

lena said. "But why does it say I'm suppos

ightened. "That must b

t leave i

r-a charcoal suit, dark hair damp from the shower. His eyes went from the p

ere an

our engagement involves bed

d frowned. "I only wanted to seem more... dome

g myself across your sheets to

d her with a word, and moved aside so Elena could step into his sitting room. Morning

this up without maki

se I wanted an answ

trying to control

an decide things that s

g the press from finding ou

get a free pass to decide how much o

is desk. "No one's asking

t y

t out, but she stood her gr

r, the events, the party lines, as long as we agree on them. But just because we're pretending to be

lt colder f

d old-school CEOs-but no one had spoken to him

omething you don't want?" His v

to being told yes. I need to kno

e changed. The anger was there, bu

had to for

g it shouldn

was, she needed this deal. If Adrian backed out, the bank would eat her mother's

ting less than trading one k

d out a chair. "

idn't

tried again. "Would

ht her off guard mo

e

e not expected to share my bed, and I won't touch you unless

nt to know why

em it's not t

hing for a sarcastic g

t's

hing

for you make decisions about me. If

ng into his posture. "You know I can't

re of the pool. I just don't want to

nearly relu

e impo

kno

ople have to

thought I'd say

tween them. For the first time since she'd moved in, Elena felt like he w

uss anything that affects yo

ank

on't look so smug. You're stil

said I wo

ress appr

y asking inste

harp as before. Maybe this was just

one show you wa

dy own c

kind for my f

me as myself instead of trying

er, a quiet thrill in her ste

e behind his desk, sta

The part that bothered him most? Not her refusal to take orders-b

d how t

t seem to let

y vanished into gray smears and distant, bleeding headlights. Elena worked away at the hotel account

invoices when all

me somewhere down the hall. With a sigh, she grabbed her phon

ria

th

ws, phone in hand. No emergency lights. Just

ould've kicked i

a second,

second. The system's

, mostly-but his fingers were clenched around his

a candle when the power goes," sh

ple haven't paid to make s

re i

rowning. "Th

ough money can mak

don't know what yo

our phone won't bring th

he laughed. Not the polished, clipped thing he d

ed, almost

" he b

thi

at me like I gre

now you remember

aded, but not f

every fiscal

le

his eyes soften

and real. It melted some of the cold in the room. For a second, he didn'

ights snap

ightness. Adrian glanced at h

ish my accoun

someone br

d just eat

Adrian looked at her, surpr

're

ner. Not a bus

d. "I think I c

d they'd ever endured. Adrian admitted that his father once sat him through a dinner listening to a bu

aded. "No one s

afterward she di

u belie

ne. "I believed she wan

had come from helplessness, a need to make sure the people h

hout warmth can feel like a jail, but she

she ever just tell

yes. "No. I

tween them-heavier and more

ite. They stopped outside her door, silent for a m

ight,

ight,

aid, "Tomorrow, I want to discuss Friday

fference in his

rig

ated. "A

es

You'll never be expected to give

ound her eyes. "Then

t noticing Adrian still

without calculating what he stood to gain. The sensation made

a mess of documents. A message from Security popp

ned th

the hotel's debt, all Elena's failed attempts to

a financial institution that owned a big ch

the acquisition

her mother's name. But his company still owned part o

the screen, h

an file was signed off by someone in your

rs hovered abo

realizing that the empire he'd built to keep everything safe