sing Mia's idea of "blending in." The bright green dress was way too small, and the slit up at her thigh practic

ce snorted. S

nd mine on steroids. Crystal chandeliers dripped from the ceili

utch purse housing her phone. Don'

she had a suspended profile, a looming lawsuit from Donovan Industries, and a voicem

't here for Do

here f

Sterl

ng Hope Foundation-had suspiciously unclear tax filings and a PR team that makes him looks s

s fancy suit, with dark hair combed back like a movie star. She had seen his pictures online

the proof

donation basket) and pretended to admire it while positioning h

ng

ds with a man whose face Alice recognized from Interpol

yo

ng the

her like thunder-deep,

e tu

inches away, his eye

She gestured weakly. "It's

ched. "Do you al

rned to slus

nt." She forced a giggle, channeling Mia's

where might I find this beautiful env

it

catching on the train of her dress. "

closing the distance. "Let me guess-

t closed. The

kne

kne

e held out his palm

know what

for a man his size. One hand locked around

already dumped the contents o

. Breath

pho

sti

's emergency thigh holster advice. The phone burned aga

narrowed. "C

, his hand slid down h

use

in her dress, finger

shoved him, p

la

it aloft like a trophy. The scre

47

me, Jude's voice crisp on

eat, the wor

ude sm

t a nice

Donovan," he murmured, st

roze.

e screen. "They have this

and gripped her elbow. "Let's chat somewhere

lice glanced at the nearest gua

ppe

way," sh

e the Red Sea, some nodding deferentially ("Mr. Sterl

oor, revealing a dim hallw

n.

storage room. The door c

t it, arms crossed

? I'm a

from his jacket-her RSVP, stamped VOID in r

rger scr

her chin. "So

a crate. "But I'd rather know why a suspended infl

our charity's a scam.

eyes. "Careful, Miss Hart. You're in

g a brick wall. "Why host a fundraiser if you're not just

ou have no idea what

e phone in his pocket. "Let me publish that vid

ent, he said n

o.

phone, thumb hov

d, but he held her

zing her ear. "Here's one: girl crashes part

reen l

VIDEO?

" she wh

d. Studied

en

r burst

in. "The press is as

ping her phone into his

ned to

rabbed his slee

her fingers loose. "After I'v

oor s