ment broke a
he interne
tmore realized there
ian Calloway's Manhattan headquarters, watching the city pul
rprise Engagement. Investigative Journalist Eleanor Wh
multiplied b
astian remained
tablet as if they had just announced a quarterly ea
n twelve countries
. "My editor has ca
hould
say w
in love with a morally q
narrowed.
was again, that unsettling shift when the
utes. Twenty minutes until the world dissected
le," Sebasti
lie to the e
ut to prote
"You really think
e quietly." The way he said it, clinical
ad tripled
screetly near every entra
d mea
the conferenc
out waiting to be announced. E
Publicly charming. Privately ruthless. And one of
d of man who enjoyed d
owly. "I wake up to find my favorit
t stand. "Good
Ellie, assessing. "And yo
she replied coolly.
odes." She
tulations," he said, though his eyes never l
" Sebastian rep
aw tighten
, "is about leadership stability. Marriage
greed calmly. "Bu
arked between them. Ell
casual rivals. They w
tly. "Power struggles aren't romantic." Before she could respond, Sebas
l be all,
ed. "For now." He left
xhaled
sn't li
e losing," Seba
nk he's
expression hardened. "I think
iancée's death?"
ness unse
t him walk a
I don't h
I come in." His ey
nference tim
cameras felt
ly at the small of her back a
ot intimate. But
how aware sh
ons came i
hen did this rel
estigating Calloway Industr
gic move ahead of
voice rema
nship developed over time, and we are both
uth. Strateg
lf to meet the cam
ity," she said clearly. "That includes
r half
oom b
sked the question s
lloway think of this
fractionally against her ba
truth." The way he said it steady but layered with somethi
hout disaster. But the w
stion hit like a
quieter than u
ember buying, presumably selected by someone in
zed again. Un
ered cau
e. You should have
oat tig
followed. Wives
slid down
it. Sebastian stood there, jacket removed, sleeves rolled up, a
n who hadn't s
ed it," he
no
y is tra
f they
." He step
lt different tonight. L
w exposed this would
r gently. "It doe
of a smile to
ave," he sa
owned.
fied. "You can walk away. I
ened. "And what
t your resp
tung more than
d firmly. "I don't run when
oftened ju
ust be unco
spoke. The silence fel
st easily," sh
N
se of
pause.
stripped of al
followed," he continued. "I
heart cl
ater." The guilt in h
have known," s
words carried years
d closer. Close enough to se
nvincible," s
believe
e between them. His gaze dropped briefly to her
n her stomach, un
t we said we wouldn'
ither mov
stretched
attered the wind
nward. Sebastian
as a second shot pierced the wall where
fir
. Security al
d hers completely. Solid
oice lethal. More shouting
opped as quickl
her for several second
es apart. Her br
de her head. His chest r
eding," she
iled down his temple w
noth
re no longer controll
hadn't just threatened his e
ully, he help
said quietly, "t
She reached up before she could stop herself. Her fingers brushed the
the world went
died," she
s nearly touched. The line b
aving," she
ened. "You ma
babl
between them.
marriage," s
since she met him, Seba
Not contro
sirens
more dangerous had jus
ttach
was prepared for w
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