ore a fitted black dress-not flashy, but sharp-and pul

cross the marble lobby as she ma

nted to test her limit

fference. On her desk, a new stack of files-twice the size of yesterday

witched into

n drown me in w

er sleeves an

rted, and cross-referenced. Na

nds. Somewhere between the contracts and the balance sheets

paring for

hing

quisi

erg

ething

the thought a

d a war to win.

nsion

se of her. One of the senior m

invited. He leaned against the do

ound here," he said,

ase Carrington's keeping arou

e in front of her a

too much time on his ha

ei

'debt' days are over, you'll

sharper reply, a shadow fe

pockets, his face an unreadable mask. But his

em, Mr. Harper?"

, sir. Just welcomi

t move. Did

work. If you have time to harass employees, pe

Harper muttered an apology and hu

low, to say something sca

foot only-and said, "If anyone bothers you

chin. "I can figh

" Zane sa

rtbeat, the room was thick with

p, analytical look, like he was tryi

d, as if conceding a point

Davis." And th

t behind hummed with

hatr

reve

ing ho

far more