before the champagn

Davenpor

ical report, c

publicly h

fixed, a perfect portrait of

building, a strategic

stars of a charity yacht party, the pic

ittle lost, clinging to Etha

rmidable matriarch who' d raised him, cornere

o sharp, held a man

e a low murmur against the ocean bre

g the part of th

ed, "but his heart is in the right pl

ait

s laughing with a group of donors, "you could still maintain a close, albeit i

offer. A quiet connection to po

tress cross my face, t

ing slightly, "my reputation... after

heals, my dear. And peopl

er with wide, pleading eyes. "I need to find someone

ang, a reminder of Et

need your help, Eleanor. Your p

then a small, calculatin

too shamed, too broken to h

she asked, a challenge in her tone. "It

breath. This w

on a figure standing alone by the

"Jax"

lionaire. He' d recently saved a major industry from collapse. A

rt of their

id, my voice clear and

ectly sculpted

inued, meeting her gaze directly. "His i

attention. His eyes, sharp and in

have o

ed smile spread

g, easily eclipsing the preening polit

d, his voice a low rumb

ack to me, a glint o

uires more than just ad

a challenge,

this time. "I'm count