hogany, threatened and propositioned by a billionaire who knew more about my life than I knew about his. Now, as the train clattered through the darknes

text from Tommy: "Mom collaps

f familiar streets and unfamiliar terror. Victoria's words echoed in my mind like a warning bell, but they seemed in

ia coffee that had been sitting too long. I found Tommy in the waiting room, his head buried in his hand

the plastic chair beside him, my

e was muffled, but I could hear the fear threading through every word

ight of him over the past few months, not because he wasn't kind, but because every conv

across from us, his expressi

though part of me didn't

pated. She needs surgery within the next two weeks, o

ice cracked. "But the i

al reality." Dr. Martinez leaned forward, his eyes kind bu

was three

e leather. Harris Kingston's words came back to me with crystal clarity: "I

ommy said desperately. "A paymen

ption," Dr. Martinez sa

s. Through the window, I could see the lights of Manhattan twinkl

ll, younger than his sixteen y

eyes and Victoria's warning about hidden clauses and secret agendas. I thought about my mother lyin

" I said quietly. "But yo

d Victoria's cryptic warnings, Tommy's face went through a dozen different emotions. Disbelief gave w

one year, and Mom lives. I get to

is man is dangerous. I don't kno

lazing with fierce determination. "What matters is that Mom gets to live

ingston's real agenda might be, whatever Victoria knew that I didn't, none of it

pulling out my phone. "I need to

suddenly looking more like a man

r and dialed the number on Harris's business card. He

a way that made my pulse quicken despite

t steadier than I felt.

ly, what might have been

Tommy gets full control over his college applications-no interference from you. And I w

ntract?" His voice had gone dangero

ppens when the year is up." I took a deep breath. "If

s carefully controlled. "Meet me at my penthouse tomorrow night. E

ad. "Harris, why me? Really why me? B

hing flutter in my chest, something I didn't want to examine

hone pressed to my ear and the distinct feeling that I had just agreed

ke, her face pale but her eyes alert as they talked in low voices. When she saw

me you might have found a way t

aking her thin hand in both of mine.

d with what little strength she had. "Whatever you de

knew I had already made my choice. Tomorrow night, I would walk into Harris Kingston's penthouse and

r's hospital bed and pretend that I wasn

nd his face went white

d, showing me the sc

clear: "Your sister is making a mistake. Ask Harris about

What other women? And more importantly, who kne

mmy watching me with f

d, "what have you go