andered into a bookstore that smel

nything. Just killing ti

sked, a graying man with a cane and a worn su

said. "Jus

her spine straighten. "You don't strike me

ked. "Ex

tly. "You've l

oat tig

"I want to show

ntil he stopped in front of a small reading nook. There sat a man in a tail

up-and thei

rious. Ca

t yet, but this man wo

was Sebas

egist. Master o

re," he said, set

nne f

ossip," he continued. "I

and tired. "You hav

t think

im. "Why woul

. "Because I hate men like your ex-husband. And

lse qu

card acros

Discretion. S

u a deal. You want power again? Respect? Control? I can h

t the card,

in re

e said, "you'll help me

uiet agreement between two ghosts-e

keted t

hink ab

es," he said

e everything-Vivienn

at above a laundromat, she st

artley Cro

as waiting beneath

per. Louder.

and scribbled her new

a

elow

forget she

***

dn't sleep

ugh her jacket pocket. She kept reaching for it, thumbing its matte e

did

g back with embossed con

dust

n. Strate

Controlled. Silent. The kind of power

llionaires in her old

fferent. He wasn't hungry for headlines.

e she no

ienne was back

se she tr

he had nothin

ame reading nook. This time, h

ready,"

I'm not sure thi

ur face is still plastered across gossip col

flin

don't need a good idea, Vi

eel rising in her spine. "

al was

know her name. She'd have creative freedom, protection, and legal shields from any

aid. "Something you know. Somet

dn't even h

y bran

her bat

g, event execution, and client retention. While Julian shook hands and signed deals, sh

ld build som

dition," she s

ised an eyeb

pete with Cross Industrie

arp. "Now we're speak