did Brandon take sixty percent of my fortune

er headline I couldn't respond to any of them

ng left, not even my pride. The betrayal stung at me like a decayed wou

red any calls since that day, so I decided to answer this one, enough of sulking aro

hough my voice sounded distant a

careful, and unsettlingly familiar. I sat up straighter

you want to make me feel more terr

ng less from my comp

have you had my number all along" I hissed

en his voice dipped lower and h

your... unfortu

o have destroyed mine. I had been raised to despise him, but I was

p. "What does that have to do wi

a sound that sent a

feisty self Thalia," he said

say what you want otherwis

ky tone "but I have a proposition

itterly like

ce I've lost almost everything you want

's a business deal tha

stop I will be end

aid in a des

a major catch

king of course I

want to rebuild what's been stolen from you

hey might even be first right now considering the disaster the Asplundh h

my vulnerable condition?! I hated him, I hated the blood running in his veins, I

ght, I needed him. I had no one else

red my throat tight, it's a mi

t" he said his voice all se

rrow. Noon. Y

once more. I stared at the phone in my hand, feeling the weight of wha

cold, the sense of dread, and realized one thing with te

houldn't be here. Every rational part of me screamed that this was a mistake, that I should turn around and walk

me a nod as if he'd been expecting me Of course, he had. Croft arr

s way, Mis

ded any more confirmation of how obscenely rich he was, everything about him screamed untouchable power: the face carefully s

smile "You look stunning but

m forcing myself to hold his gaze even though everything abou

roposal, So, let's hea

t I didn't move. His smile grew wider, he was amused, like he

ase,

come here

it was designed to put people at ease.

you want the truth? You need help to rebuild what's left of your family's for

a brow "Nothing w

rd, his eyes lo

rry