levator doors closed. The moment she stepped out of the lobby
g her weight against it as she gasped for air. The pain
freezing, violent Manhattan rains
ruined gown, plastering it to her skin. Everly didn't try to
Arthur's dead, gray face played on a loop behind her eyeli
w and red. Everly reached an intersection. There was no crosswalk signal. She
ts pierced the wall of rain, h
her eyes shut ag
st wet asphalt filled the air. A massive, bla
me. The right side of the front bumpe
he ground. She flew backward through the air a
away. Blood immediately mixed with the puddles of dirty rainwater. Everly lay flat
a halt. The rear pas
A pair of long legs clad in custom-ta
is leather shoes splashing the water. He radi
dark eyes narrowed, flashing with a mix
ng a high-powered tactical flashlight directly i
rain ran down her pale cheeks. The flashlight blind
-stained evening gown, the messy hair, the pathetic
said, his voice a deep, mocking baritone. "Throwing yourself in f
A jolt of pure, unadulterated fury s
ing hands on the rough asphalt, trying to push
nizing pain in her spine, caused her arms to give out.
llite phone in his breast pocket vibrated.
out and answered it
htly away from Everly. "The merger is compromised?
atinum watch. He had zero patien
sistant standing by
coldly. "Make sure she doesn't c
the street, Guilford turned around and slid back
hut, instantly cutting o
dropped the cash directly onto the wet pavement in front of her face. Then, he tossed a sleek, solid titan
ut," the assistant said flatly. He tu
s spun, splashing a wave of dirty street water over E
n. She stared at the soggy hundred-
the cold rain on her face. She bit down
the heavy titanium business card. She crushed the cold metal into her palm, using t
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