de Le Maison Rouge, one of the most

hampagne, where business empires were made-or destroyed-over whispered con

t dressed

er woman walking through those gilded doors flaunted. Her dark curls were tamed into a

stepped inside, she

d at her before nodding as

is way, M

gold-plated flatware, and white-gloved waiters pouring wine from bottles older than sh

th in the back,

an Va

re CEO of Vau

ed-mid-thirties, perhaps. Dark hai

s suit, custom-tailored to perfection, looked eff

intensity i

h with a stillness tha

mpetitors who vanished overnight, of deals that never should have

ad summo

his piercing blue eyes lock

him, keeping her posture straight. If he th

exist," she

ossed his lips. "And you'

ut me," she said, studying hi

ood that better than anyone. "I

it definitely cost more than her rent. Vaughn picked his up, swirling

you have

a thousand,"

tant one." He leaned forward slightly

like a predat

ry laugh. "You're

rkened. "I

voice smooth y

access to my life. Un

d an eyebro

s. "Because you dig deeper than mo

used to react. "I don't work for rich

y, invading her space just eno

r survival. And right no

warred w

is one different from the NDA J

ummary of t

hesi

dangerous

ice did she

d instead of answering. "You don't seem

. But that's what ma

ble. He wasn't worried abo

ing to hide... or he was very,

figure

breath

oney than she

r reaction, his ex

is yours,

dangerous. Unpredictable. A

ghn had secrets

nto his cold,

inally. "But I work alone. No P

mirk widene

Vaughn Enterprises, a towering sk

k conference room where a 400

llian's personal lawyer. A silver-haired man

ng through the pages. "You disclose nothin

at. "And the livi

of the project. You'll have access to files, inte

still made

needed t

up the pen..

e was nothing sh

town car pulled through the gates. It was elegant bu

named Harris, gree

ou in his study," he s

ersonal. No family photos. No signs of warmt

study where Killian sat

in?" he asked w

d, scanning the shelves lined with

oked at her. "It's

s intense,

er bag. "Where

a thick folde

imply. "Everything y

er fingers touched the cover, a sh

expression

d, and a woman

air cascaded down her back, framing sharp, high cheekbones and full lips painted in a shade of deep

appearance that made

herself-elegant, confident

k gaze was locked onto Liana

te demanded, crossing her ar

aphy," Killian said eve

low, humorless lau

king over Liana, taking in every d

ast person who tried

breath

k away. She refuse

pecting some kind of denial-some indication that

hn said

ply wa

ing to see how L