in the limo was thick with my family's un-spoken rage. T

ted. "You deliberately humiliated Maya! You humilia

I said calmly. "He was interested. He of

"You couldn't stand to see Maya getting the attention, so you had to pull that ri

oulder. "I... I just wanted us all to have a nice e

e stole him from me. But it doesn't matter. I have other allies

rling's office tomorrow. You will not be taking that job. You will st

would have been locked away, and Maya would have

raised an

to a job meeting because you've grounded her?" I asked. "Go ahead. Make the call. I'm sure he'll be very understanding. It will do wonders fo

unassailable. He was a businessman above all else, and he knew I was righ

there, impoten

to go upstairs. "Don't be late," I added

ointedly ignoring me. I poured myself a coffee and walked out the front door. The town car was nowhere in sight. I saw i

ked. P

a premier subscription service I maintained. Less than two minutes later, a sleek, blac

indow. Their little plan, so easily thwarted. They were thinking in terms of grounded teenagers. I

away. They're so blinded by their own petty

el of modern architecture, a gleaming spire of glass and steel. As I

s alrea

peccably dressed man in his late twenties. He had a slick

an C

accomplice. He saw her as a kindred spirit, another beautiful predator. Together, they had orchestrated my downfall and the systema

ars. Maya hadn't just been relying on my family. She was already reb

g to Julian, and he turned to look at me. His eyes swept

asn't just about my family anymore. This was a conspir