omised herself on

t o

dodging deadlines. No financial ledgers waiting to remind her that running a c

ll, zero tal

vy bass, and a cold drink-a brief interlude wher

hat was too

screen, or are you actually in there?" Serena

aze from the glass face of

d it six times

iv

Truly the pictu

ed the phone into her leather

ainst the crystal. "To my best friend, who has temporarily rememb

st Serena's. "To you-for or

ep you tethered to

t fine before yo

spresso and pure spite,

le broke throug

, and music loud enough to drown out thoughts of work without forcing people to shout.

Maybe Serena was right. Maybe Clark's Logistics & Import c

ard the velvet ropes at the fro

erena m

er eyes instinc

thi

ou're doin

t fa

looks like he was sculpted out

to her drink. "Mind your bu

erational debt and supply chain nightmares; the last thing she needed was an attractive distraction. Besi

n, but a sharp, elevated voice

you listen to me

snapped to

hirt. Her eyes were bright with furious tears, one hand pressed firmly against his c

and controlled. "For twenty minutes. Nothi

y?" she demanded, her voice

He made a movemen

s digging into the fabric. "

frustration overflowing into raw anger. The man took a breath, steppe

her heels. A collective gasp ri

seat before her b

rned, grabbing he

oser look," Maya lied

en't you? Pray for me," Serena

heels clicking steadily against the dark wood until

use

tur

yes, and an aura of quiet authority that practically radiated off him. But the

calculating her presence in ha

op putting your

ooked at her as if she were a mild gli

heard

tears momentarily suspended

a slow, controlled breath.

concern when y

private argument," he said c

context to rec

s jaw. Beside him, the woman

stranger can see wha

ook at her. "Don't

ll me wha

spectacle!" His voice cut

immediately stepped into the spa

yell

The height difference was pro

he sai

N

sn't a r

nse wasn't a

n his dark eyes. He rubbed his knuckles against his jaw, gl

oice was meant for her alone. "You are inserting yourse

ho think their status excu

arrowed. "

ude," Maya said, gesturing vagu

bar snorted i

something uncomfortably close to dark amusement. "

ng a very c

of investigation." He took a step sideways to byp

, her voice steady despite the ad

nothing to ap

shove

," he corrected coldly. "And I will ma

at a t

a boun

er elbow, her voice straine

on Alexander. "Not until h

Maya. "Is she always this reckless, or am

na declared, tugging

e to turn tow

aya called

an octave. Alexander stopped dead in his trac

id you

heard

stopping inches away. The scent of cedar and dark amber

eone whose patience you

pposed to be

to a low, dangerous murmur. "You're suppos

m men who treat people l

ery trace of defiance on her face-and the subtle tr

're talking about," he sai

rove me

u an explanatio

The air le

ar

erself. Her bag was zip

plication of how he knew her name, the sheer aud

ac

his cheek echoed sharp and clea

us around them. Serena gasped aloud

tly from the impact. For three ex

ised two fingers, lightly touching the reddening skin near his che

his voice smooth and entirely devoi

spered, her heart pounding

econd, his dark eyes locking onto hers wi

ay from

and melted smoothly into the crowd toward the private exit,

the spot, her palm st

face pale. "Maya... do you

loose fists to stop the s

"Alexander Blaze of Blaze Global Logistics. His company is one of the majo

floor tilt ben

-

t, a stark contrast to the thumping bass and

ve with deliberate, even movements. Outside, the rain had just begun to slick the ci

arcus, asked, catching his

Give me fi

Mr.

mb tracing the faint, warm st

sl

kes deals, no one had ever slapped him. And yet, a twenty-two-year-old woman in a dar

reen lit up instantly with a notifi

t: May

rk's Logist

iew pending; port-acc

. Maya assumed leadership after

d leaned his head back against the

dential information she had taken from her former employer. She had tried to use it to pressure Alexander into reconsidering their broken engagement. When she grabbed him and refu

a fool, she had leaped headfirst into the fire to defend a wo

nterfe

Her eyes had been sharp, clear, and utterly consumed by righteous anger. She hadn't cared about his tai

he were nothing more than an

-almost a laugh-e

didn't know was that Clark's Logistics & Import had three days before its port-access agreement was

partners, and its approval was essential to securing a s

the decision, Alexander's appr

d his encrypted mail app, and drafted a b

on decision on hold. Have Miss Clark

creen as the memory of her palm cracking

d one m

n agenda. Let her

and locked

looking out the tinted window as t

Mr.

me

morning, she would discover what happened when s