t, arrogant face. She wanted to make him feel a fraction of the pain he had inflicted on her and her family. Three years ago, the Sinclairs had orchestrat

ou went to all this trouble to trap me, Killian. Is it because aft

ted, it was being seen, truly seen, especially by her. "Don't flatter yourself," he shot ba

asm. "For revenge? For humiliation? Or do you just get off o

er jaw, forcing her to look at him. The pressure was just shy of painful. "I'll say this one more time,"

e, she jerked her head back, breaking his grip. "If I'm such a useless tool, why me?" she challenged, h

k, watching them from the corner of the room. The ai

osure. He was once again the elegant, untouchable CEO. "Because there's a certain p

olute. At the threshold, he paused but didn't look back. "Be a

ained from Azura's legs, and she sank into the nearest chair. What was his real game? This wasn't ab

ly, holding out a glass of wa

e. "I'm not going," she said, her voice flat

liberately ignoring the personal history simmering between them. "This

again. "Did you see the non-disclosure clauses? The penalty clauses? You

nt, Azura. The check cleared this morning. With that money, we can pay the rent for the next two years.

was the heavy, invisible chain she'd been dragging

what he did to you. But I'm begging you, Azura. Help the firm. Help yourself. I've watched you for three yea

ized by an old acquaintance while clearing tables at a diner. The gnawing

e face of survival, dignity was a luxury she couldn't afford. She needed the money. She needed

fragile financial stability-implode? Or swallow this poison, walk into t

of her family's name, the responsibility

acing a path down her cheek. "Send me everything you have

to have been holding for an hou

e screen saver-a photo of her parents and her, smiling on a sailboat in a life that felt like it belonged to someone else. Her expressi