't wash things clean; it j

t of her cash on a cab to get to Sebastian Vance's investment firm. In her pocket, the black card she had retrieved from the pl

st, a girl named Chloe who used to compli

Scarlett said, her voice steady d

aid, typing furiousl

ld me

. Do

te that ticked by was a minute her father sat in a

15, the heavy o

see y

leather furniture, and a view that cost more than her father's life savings.

y looking up. His eyes raked over her d

traight to the point. "Five million for bail. I'll pay

against the edge, crossing his arms. "Pay me back? With what? Pi

pping forward. "He introduced you to yo

on his lips. "Your father was... careless. In this industry, carelessn

he realization settling in her gut lik

'm just a concerned citizen who cooperated with the authorities. But I'm a gen

ument he slid toward her.

and Personal Se

ive availability... sexual comp

to be his mistress

out, his finger tracing the line of her jaw. "Victoria is boring in

man, whom she had once thou

ice water on the

rabbed it and threw the

latter. Vance sputtered, water dripping f

!" He lung

stomped her heel down, hard, ont

led, hopp

ors, past a stunned Chloe, and sprinted for the elevator. She hit the but

rs closed, she saw Vance limping into the hal

" he screamed. "You h

the metal wall, sliding down until she hit the fl

e walked blindly for blocks, her mind racing. She had

r pocket and pulled

n Sterl

ine: 212

en dollars, and went into the tiny bathroom. She washed her hands, scrubbing un

dialed t

g once

erl

impatient, and ter

erling? It's... it's Scarle

so long she thought he had hung up. She could

ally. His voice had lost the edge of imp

you," Scarlett

Sterling & Partne

where

minutes, Ms. Mill

ne wen

er eyes were hollow, her skin pale. But there was a fire

or her father anymore. She