ion tower in Manhattan, the air inside t

he floor-to-ceiling windows, lookin

est financial empire was dressed in a sharp black thre

is ear, his dark eyes wer

in a low, icy voice. "I don't care what promise y

e, Archibald Merritt's voic

massive heart attack, I would've died on the ope

o give you a chance and spend some time with you. Do you know how har

s silk tie with lon

her true identity as Dr. Booth a complete secret, only telling Caswell

on artist, Grandfather,

own, dropped out of high school, and was kicked out of the Booth mansion by her own parents just this afternoon.

th!" Archibald

! Listen to me, Caswell. To show her proper respect, take that silver custom Koenigseg

day Koenigsegg? You don't even let t

ure wife! If you dare stand her up or leave her ou

t dead with

ght. Standing beside the desk, his executive assistant, Kad

e Koenigsegg brought around to th

nd, glancing coldly at the Patek Philipp

l sneered. "I'll drive past Madison Avenue at six o'clock s

, the low-key black sedan from the underground d

of the Merritt family's security detail, Adelaide stepped out a block

t was only five-fifty, ten mi

urb, the deep, unmistakable roar of a m

the evening traffic like a silver blade and screeched

s resting on the sleek aerodynamic lines of t

ed this vehi

oenigsegg headquarters in Sweden and personally tuned the engine before having it airlifted to New York

closer look, the driver'

ow of the streetlamp, his chiseled jawline and deep-set dar

under the streetlight, Caswell p

and flashy designer logos. Instead, the woman standing on the curb wore a si

were remarkably calm, carrying a cool, aloof detachment tha

prise, Caswell spoke in an icy, comm

n. I don't like wastin

hly upward. Adelaide stepped off the curb, b

bin, the crisp, masculine sce

eatbelt, Caswell kept his eyes fixed on the

ght because my grandfather used his heart condition as leverage. Don't think sitting in this pass

nd leaned back against the headrest, not e

erent. "I'm only going tonight because I promised Grandpa Archibald I'd

used to women throwing themselves at him or trembling under his

f, he slammed his foot

rd Long Island. Approaching a sharp curve on the overpass, Caswell

oss the center console. Her slender shoulder slammed squarely against Ca

eeves, the scorching heat of his te

ny, pale-red mole right at the tip of her soft left earlobe. With her face mere inches

e skipped a beat, and his fi

ack as if he'd touched an open flame. His voice came out

wn side. Clumsy tricks to thr

, rubbing her shoulder as she gave him a

he highway than throwing myself at you," Adelaide said flatly, pulling the collar of

s like a city morgue. Are you trying

ead, his handsome profile

e the cabin cold and the suspension stiff. If you can't hand

argue, closing h

ce settled ov

sionless while his left thumb quietly pressed a button on the steering

console and silently turned the climate control dial up by

r side, and the bumpy road beneat

nt of his hand pulling back from the dashboard. A tiny, amu

ats as the car cruised down the Long Island highway, s

g was adjusted by half a millimeter, wasn't it?

the brief warmth in the cabin vanishing as

l laughed coldly. "Save your breath, Adelaide. A high school dropout from the sticks wouldn't ev

g out the window as the grand iron gates of the Merritt

outing nonsense to grab his attention, and pressed the gas p