er high heels clicked against the cold concrete floor of the undergro

ed all the way to the opposite side, pressing her shoulder against the door panel, pu

in a sec

ocating. Alvie shifted uncomfortably. He cleared his throat three times,

s and tilted her head toward the window. Her absolute, fre

gates of the Gallagher family estate in the Hamptons. The tires crunched

oor open before the d

htened her spine, pulling her shoulders back. She walked toward the heavy oak front

pulled the

at on a velvet sofa. The matriarch was surrounded by a circle

ble fireplace. The moment she saw Gene walk in wearing the

link. Her brows pulled together in a deep frown. Her e

" Eleanor snapped, her voice carrying across the r

k handkerchiefs to their mouths, hiding their cruel little smil

stammered an apology and

om. She met Eleanor's harsh glare head-on. A

emnant of the elite Swiss boarding school she had attended on a full scholarship-was sharp and pre

room went d

parted slightly. She couldn't believe the weak, path

ace twisting with rage. She pointed a

're nothing but a leech! You're only allowed i

step forward, closing the distanc

d coming from someone who maxed out three credit cards last

lushed a viole

ts, their eyes darting between Blai

wn on the glass coffee tabl

ked. "Apologize to your sister i

ugh. She looked around the room a

are the parasites living off a name the

on her stilettos, raising her right hand high in th

oiled instantly. She planted her fe

a large, powerful hand sh

lair's wrist in mid-air, stopp

was Alvie. He had been standing silen

the back of his hand bulged as he shoved Blair's arm away with br

sped, clutching her chest. "You're attac

es from his dream-the stock plummeting, his life r

his voice echoing off the high c

tared at him like h

arms were blaring. This wasn't love. Th

is hand on the small of her back, attempting to play th

mediately. She didn't t

lushed with a mix of deep embarrassment and rising anger

s welling with angry tears. She

red sound of footsteps ech

ence. It was as if all the oxygen had been sucked out of the