ora
lobby of The Grill, fully intending to call a car ser
ing for me by the entranc
thly. "Mr. Romero insisted
a hint of my old independence fla
ousine or a town car. It was a black, heavily armored SUV, the kind used by heads of
evealing Damon Romero's stern profi
at me. He looke
The words were not a sugg
that this was not a point for debate. I had entered his world, and in his world, the Don did not leave his
I opened the heavy door and s
cedar and something else-ozone, perhaps. The silence was absolute, the
affic. "They want to announce our engagement next month. The Commission h
also appreciated it. No games. No hesi
y years with Jefferey, where every silence had to be filled with chatter, with reassu
ntial tower I had called home. My home with Jef
oor handle, Damon spok
ral secure properties near Central Park West. They are watc
ad shown. The offer was unexpected, and for a
"Thank you, but I
t merged back into the flow of traffic, a dar
. He was waiting for me in the
tight with a jealousy he had no right
ding for the bedroom. My business here was
grip surprisingly stron
my eyes flashing with
seemed to enrage him more than any screaming matc
closet, fuming. "You're trying t
d it at me. "Here. I bought this for you. Your favorite
ce, with a high collar and puffy sleeves. It was the
not the woman I was. It was the ultimate proof
ress fall t
es of my old life crumbled away. He was still trying to solve this w
ng expression, a flicker of rea
t was time to
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