Bought by The Billionaire's Lies

Monday m

oken sidewalk outside Cross Enterprises. My umbrella had flipped inside out three blocks back, and now my hair cl

erly in

up to the thirty-second floor. The lobby gleamed under the cold, sterile lights-all white marb

alled, giving me a sympathetic glance. "You be

getting out, my voice

een them just as they were about to close. I stood against the wa

able hair, shoes that didn't get the top of their socks wet. They were

th

shifted

you stand a little taller even though you couldn't think

stepped into

e to me stopped as if an inv

ll, broad-shouldered, dressed in a charcoal-colored suit that probably cost more than my entire college degree. Black

t look a

n't ha

im, scurrying in the

my eyes, e

ed as little as possible, attempted not to be more than I had to be.

cond floor, the doors opene

step forward w

Weighty.

ly-and my heart batter

oss was lo

s expression didn't change, but something in h

nishing down the cor

nst me a dulled roar in my ears. It was probably noth

and tried to catch up on the reports I'd

that expression

muttered something about being "urgent," but I barely caught what she was saying. I worked, f

oss had lo

e

at all-just some drowned-out woman amidst a sea of faces. He was probably th

me like a second layer of sk

y rolled around, I almo

ne soft focus of lights and movement. I folded my ruined

s Mo

ceased i

was harsh.

, I turne

ng himself behind a black umb

of my bo

truggled, my voi

dows. The streetlamp lit the sharp angles

" he said, holding out

on for the past month. Notes, ideas, sketches f

, my fingers bru

A jolt that ran straight thro

ou," I w

red on mine, the tip of his thumb outlining my knu

I di

I could

slow, deliberate, taking in m

ing," he sai

ine,"

, looking at me like I was a p

inner w

hit me l

eyes wide, mou

'm s

exactly. More like something

r. Ton

A prank. There was no universe in which Dominic Cros

on't t

ll

e a command, like a promise

ner," he said.

i

creamed at me to

d, I n

Oka

in his eyes. Satis

rl," he

twisted

ed to a black sedan at the curb. A

before my br

ther cold against my damp skin, a tiny

is a m

was t

s fa

oss was waitin