monument to wealth and power. As I stood on the sidewalk looking up at the penthouse level, my heart ha

pent hours researching Harris Kingston online, but the internet only revealed the sanitized version of his life-business acquisitions, c

ppeared from his life? And why did

d kind eyes, smiled at me as I approached. "Miss Ben

that I had tried unsuccessfully to tame into something sophisticated, emerald eyes that revealed every emotion I was trying to hide,

Brooklyn apartment, grading art projects and pretending that m

red a view of Manhattan that made the city look like a jeweled tapestry spread out below us. The furniture was elegant but comfortable, expens

right

d against the city lights, wearing dark slacks and a white shirt that was open at the collar. He looked more re

g on the apartment seemed safer than acknowledging how d

ly cost more than my annual salary. "Wine? You look

me. Our fingers brushed during the exchange, and I pretended not to

le was knowing, dangerous. "Tha

t the wine glass on the nearest table before

to sound businesslike. "You pro

s even thicker than the version he had shown me in his office. "But before

gree to anything?" The words came

u're nothin

didn't need to ask who he meant. The pain that flickered acro

," I said

sticated, from the right family, said all the right things." He moved to the window, staring out a

en devastating," I

intense. "Which is why this arrangement is perfect. You need something from me, I need someth

stung more than they sho

ice was flat, emotionless. "It makes people

trying to focus on the legal language instead of the way his

pearances-they're very specific. Too specific." I l

hed across his face before the mask slipped back into p

what I was looking for. "This clause about what happens if I breach the confidentiality agr

race that reminded me of a predator stalk

ectly." I held up the contract. "How many

t a man who had been betrayed once. He was a man who had learned to orchestrate relationshi

," he said finally, "is not

m fully. "That text I received last night-someone warned me

ent pale.

s he read it, I watched his expression change from

?" His voice w

very aware that I was alone in his penthouse with a man whose past was apparently littered with women w

d answer, the

ard Harris curse under his breath. Emergency lighting kick

d hear the tension in his voice. "It

window, written in what looked like lipstick, were words that ha

spered, pointin

mpletely still. "That's impossi

en

us both spin around. A figure stepped out of

arris's office. This Victoria looked wild, desperate, her perfect blonde hair dis

rying that same slight accent but now wi

is body tense and protective. "V

have access to all your accounts. I know all your secrets." Her gaze shifted to me, and her smile t

I was beginning to understand. The anonymous text, the perfect contract cl

ick folder that looked disturbingly familiar

ho signed a contract just like hers two years ago? About Rebecca, who disappea

ce was a growl, dang

hs-pictures of women who looked nothing like each other except for one thing: they al

that was somehow more terrifying than screaming, "Harris doesn't just

ang in the air, but th

omething that would make this nightmare make sense. But he just stoo

spered. "Tell m

e was answ

lized I wasn't just t

whose previous wives ha