No Escape: The Billionaire Won't Sign

ng into her back, burning a

he sliding doors of JFK Te

b

gh the wool of Beatrix Anderson's coat, a coat tha

xhaust fumes of a hundred id

hed against the cold, dragging rolling suitc

dn't have

ard-shells that belonged to a different lif

heels on the larg

knuckles turning white, an

dn't

th, feeling the vibration rattle up

er, muttering an annoyance without loo

didn't

t expect

ears that apologies were a currency s

pulled up to the curb, its tinted

e Spears

s she knew the driver, a man named Thomas w

ed open with a

didn't

nk, then at the driver's side

ge re

the bagg

ng her arms around the bod

ith books she couldn't

ath hitching as the weigh

ing scraped aga

d it in,

econd bag, her index fin

n

ng pain shot th

ooked

quick, a bead of blood welling u

d drop for a second,

cket, pulled out a tissue, a

tea

ple who had someon

in, slammed the trunk, and

d a specific, sterile citrus air f

said to th

moved in

ad back against the s

nd thr

purse and dry-swallow

r the pain i

ety that had been a constant hum in her veins si

re ready for

as t

Manhattan skyline rising in the dista

buzzed i

ooked

m Dr. Evans at th

d today. We increased the mo

until the backlight timed o

one face down on

ed on her

n

u

the gra

therapist in Zur

resting. Be a gray rock, and the narcissist wil

t to face Ca

the grayest roc

ribeca, pulling up to a private en

s could pretend he wasn'

was silent, just the hum of machinery

nner flashed r

ors sl

tly as she remembered,

ceiling g

concret

ked like art but f

s fre

shivered, the damp chill from outside clinging to her, amplified by

manager, was wai

pair of

Spears," Alfred sa

pity in

ix ha

d," she said, kic

to the side of

gned, was a pair

e s

was a si

ned a mask. A prop, she thought. Left here on purpose. Gene wouldn't dare leave her things

slippers and walked

on the white leather sof

t on the glass coffee t

aid, standing up.

said, her voice flat. "Le

the table and

do I

e and the asset declaration, Beatrix. Are you sure you don

e interrupted. "I

ck page, the paper cr

gned h

ix An

n't use

ilas murmured. "You could ge

his money, Sil

the study

noise; it wa

pears sto

him like a second skin, tailored to accentuate the w

otch and that sharp, chemi

rfectly styled, not

en ocean water, swept over

look at

ed at h

he fraying hem

the bandage o

just a fraction

late,"

baritone that vibrate

raightened

ic," s

ctuality," he scoffed, walki

at her as he

voice carefully neutral, devoid

attered against

yle

owly, his ey

low and dangerous. "Three years, a

, keeping her gaze fixed on the signed p

the signed papers,

ked an

oked disa

ted a

r scream, or cry about

e him n

?" he asked, taking

he was asking a

ne," Beat

her

Gene needs the press to be cl

digging into her palms, thr

derst

tinued, swirling his glass. "The Foundation nee

at a r

act you just signed without

ded. "Fine.

stared

oser, invading he

radiating off him, contr

face, looking for t

irl who used to follow h

't there

bruptly, turning away. "Go dr

ix bl

use

to her. "I've had a long day, and A

a pow

a servant because he coul

Carlyle," sh

d walked towa