le's

ech bro was going to be the start of a public relati

uldn't have d

y,

ld've clock

ds less of, it's entitled jerks grabbing w

pounding headache, sticky hair, and a bil

being inte

y nightstand, making a horrible

y head, and pray for death or at

petty little gremlin

e door like she's been possessed by a caff

unt and a curse word. "Unless th

she says, practically bouncing

ate shift, lurches at the word. "Trendin

o the bed, shoving her p

beer mug in hand, expression twisted in righteous

ve

ender

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of

st I nearly br

ing the phone, "WHY IS

hing so hard

! She filmed the whole thing! It's on TikTok, Insta, Twitt

ically through

give this wo

he

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served i

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ree

that las

hen a

ause surely, my brain is p

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a weird, panic

're lying. You're jo

tely not. You assaulte

bl

k ag

. Close it. O

under of Aurum Tech. The dude who's richer t

up

it h

up

the

UP

my hands and screa

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roic rescue attempt, but from bein

o I do?

og. "First, you shower. You smell like expired

an lo

my phone bu

wn Nu

like it's a

it," Cam

a process server. I'm n

uld be

not

s inviting you to join a

re at

zz. Anothe

snatch the phone and answer, h

hel

le

ped, profes

, legal counsel for Mr. Adrik Carte

que

mouse being ste

his about the, u

d prefer to disc

uths, b

. Try for dignity

. Totally. Yep. Very profess

ear muffled laughter on the other end be

inters. Mr. Carter does

r can suc

. "Wouldn't want to keep t

n front of the sleekest, most int

ting in the afternoon sun like a mid

ts that probably cost m

n that wandered int

urn around

I think a

studen

ole in my d

houlders and

rough a maze of glass elevators, cold steel

t of doub

ds. "He's ex

, I think as I pu

here

ring a black button-down shirt and a glare

k Ca

's even more

e exhaustion shadowing his face. His hands are steepled under his

s, voice smooth as si

w hard.

es between us l

tudying me like I'm some

impressive

bl

nk y

er si

ust be hallucinating

t of a

I almost doub

m with predatory grace, and

aches," he says. "Do you know how man

y? I didn't know who you were. I thought you w

row. "You didn'

"someone's gotta look

her

ik lets out a soft, a

that,"

pe a

this r

to his desk and flipping open a thick

this where you sue me

yes g

y. "This is where I o

starting to worry

contr

folder across

he says. "Fo

re at

at the

at him

ur head harder

smi

rifying, go

," he says, "we