Maxw

metimes, a notification from some obscure so

die artist with a small,

ly had been al

, a woman who spoke at glo

Lisa," Olivia had said last month, sc

about my 'luminous int

he'd pop up on another

ing, a weird footnote t

e edge of our otherwise

f discarded tech components, supposed

ke a pile of

ughed, a shor

nged. Security h

h such finality

her. How

sona, whose very soul, was buil

r Hayes, had been

s every news outlet, a brutal, publi

ad been

, "I will never be that woman. I wi

d insisted on the infidel

trolling stake in her personal

" she'd said, her eyes blazing

incerity more th

e, college sweethearts from Yale, gr

flew to San Francis

e a sleek glass tower, a mo

the delight when I wa

oung man named Ben, looked

, Ms. Hayes is.

'm the meeting." I grinned, h

"Right. Of course. J

then paused, looking back at

as already wa

ed, pushing her

t me like a

via at

eo Ma

nsive white leather sofa, t

essed, wearing

soft cream color I'd given her last Chri

insolent smirk sprea

and possessive,

, his voice a low purr. "

lipping, revealing more of

about you.

en, Ben trailing he

from Leo, to me,

ce, then drained awa

, a call for secur

ed, were, "Leo! What are you doing? Get yo

a cold ston

't the half-naked man in

e situation, the p

ned whisper, eyes pleading. "Help me get him dressed. We

" Not "Get this cre

"Hel

d with a rising

the times Olivia

casual way she'd hit 'block'

delusional fanboy. Not

is was d

ver for him, to usher him out like

ed of doubt began to sprout i

le, was enjo

the cashmere throw p

id, stroking the fabr

livia. "She ha

her gaze flicking

dressed. Please."

up his discarded t-shirt from

lling it on, his eye

our New York apartment, the

ng stress, the upcoming f

throw. Not discarde

t, placed it in a drawer w

xwell had worn a

e said smel

s keep

ickness was

folding that contaminated

PR problem. This wa

ething else. So

d. I felt a cold

. Her vows. Her fierce prono

in my head, a

ve victim. I wouldn't

miliated like he

loyalty. This was a betraya

ng slightly as I pulled out our pr

clause. Section

m that day, so cle

lding myself to the highest standard. It's my armor agai

ste in my mouth. Her armo

cold and hard, in t

is idyllic life,

tect myself. I

t of May

Sharp, ambitious, a

petitor t

om our college days, she'd harbor

My finger hovered

tep. A declaratio

icity with that damn throw, ha

p breath and

nswered, crisp and profess

Miller. We need to talk. I have a proposition that might int