look

ger Revani heir stood completely still by the floor-to-cei

cally,

d their congratulations. The crushing exhaustion of the pitch had fade

h to

nked, immediately pulling his gaze away.

tossing a cold bottle of mi

lessly with one hand.

Crack. The violent snap of the plastic

lly against the edge of his desk. "I

most instinctively, before snapping back to Zain. For the first time since Zain had known

d, his voice dropping into a quiet, dangerous growl

genuinely caught his attenti

tossed the empty bottle into the trash bin with unnecessar

e truth was universally understood in the corporate world: Lucien didn't just 'look' a

ing to diffuse the tension. "Who knows? Maybe your s

acial panic in Erik's eyes was enough to

ht. Bad

pick up the proposal. "So, do we revise t

oice hardened into s

d to rev

today." Erik turned fully away from the windo

owered the fo

tie loose. The composure he'd been fighting to maintain s

t worked things out?"

nt to talk

d. "I just don't want whatever shadow war y

d. "I'll make sure Sweetheart s

Luc

g beat of si

ven to his own ears, it sounded like a

out. The heavy door clicked shut behind hi

avy sigh. "...This is g

g, keyboards clattered, and coworkers drifted back to their d

believe Mr. Mer

limented you

coffee for a

neck. "It really wasn'

ed. "You practically impresse

murmured, organizing her messy desk. "

crash hit her like a physical blow. She sank deep

one vi

o

red the v

al gown and the thick bandage around his shoulder were st

h said smugly.

h escaped he

rried t

very rea

"You just forgot you're act

y. "You sound stran

ing. It buil

yes. "That's not h

ys

less jokes that somehow made everything feel li

ay, Inara felt the tight

physical

t is secretly a drill serge

her you s

t you

etween them. The kind Inara had

s head, studying he

o.

ha

is

wned. "Wh

e thinking abo

'm not thinking

rinned. "You m

t fa

ing to figure out a puzzl

proper denial, a nurse called

ah said. "Get

u t

een wen

tion in the black glass of

thinking

complete stranger had looked at her as t

ffice, the evening rush had

ed the strap of her canvas bag, blending into the crowd, grateful to

been on Noah's reha

o the conference room. To the suffoc

, picking u

ken to her. He asked a few pointed questions, acknowl

hours finally caught up to her. Inara leaned heavily against the cold tiled wall, squeezi

moment, her phone vibrate

ber flashed ac

Most unknown calls were

second later, it star

d and answe

m I speaking wit

her steps.

I'm calling from Human Re

ry... fr

i Hold

ntinued to rush past her, but the noise of

t be some

y polite, yet entirely unyielding. "I am calling because Mr. Merc