Ownership of the heart

's bedroom curtains; it stabbed at her eyes w

avy metal band, and her mouth tasted like she'd spent the night licking old pennies. Memories of the "Blue Moon

eater

five-degree angle. "Oh, no," she whispered, clut

oking a jawline that felt like carved marble. She remembered calli

ld I start planning the f

and looking suspiciously energetic. Leo was right behind her, leaning

the coffee. "On a scale of 'mildly embarrassin

t on that guy's lap and told him he was loud," Leo said, his voice

ria said, waving a hand dismissively. "He's the hea

that wasn't a VP. We Googled him. Well, Leo Googled him while I

nd

age. At the top was a grainy, high-res photo of the man from the bar. He

CEO OF BLACKWOOD

ia's heart stopped. Then it did

of white. "That's the elevator guy. That's the guy who let me

ust insult the CEO, Aria. You tr

. "I have to move. I have to change my name to Brenda

o. I think your bank is glitching."Aria fumbled for her phone on the nightstand. Her scr

tion: +$1,00

d her eyes and stared again. "It...

pered, pointing at the transa

embled as she t

r 'emotional trauma' and 'elevator negligence.' Keep t

n back at the screen. A billion dollars. One followed by nine zeros."He... he paid me," Ar

with excitement. "You aren't a manager

. "I'm a target. He thinks he can just throw money at me so I'll stop insulting

o said. "I would let him throw a bri

s is 'fuck you' money. He thinks he'

...

tly until the elevator doo

The walls were dark obsidian, the floors a polished white marble that reflected her nervous face. By the t

. You're practically his peer no

t was a small,

e. It wasn't a question; it was a com

ack to her. The city looked like a toy set beneath his feet. He didn't turn around

her voice sounding far more

more imposing than he had in the bar. "Mis

ut her phone. "The money. The billio

king the way she was trembling. "The transa

step forward, though she felt like

it in three places. The company gave him five hundred thousand dollar

sing the distance between them until he was loomin

ous, honey-thick register. "His leg was just a leg. You... y

k until her heels hit his mahogany desk. He leaned down, his face inches from hers, a predatory smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You s

Aria squeaked, trying

He didn't touch her, but the heat radiating off him was overwhelming. He

murmured, his breath hot against her ear. "I'm simply making

is lips, then back at his eyes, and panicked. "I-I have to g

n didn't chase her; he just turned and watched her scramble t

he called out, his voice full of dark amusement.

a grinning Jax, and didn't stop until she was back in the sa