CHAPTER077 JULIANSPOV Ifeltherhandsslowlysliding downmychest,goingdangerouslyclosetothewaistbandofmypants.Instinctively,Iplacedbothhandsonhershouldersandpushedherback,thoughgentlyenoughnottostartleher.
Look,ladywhateveritisyouthinkishappeninghere,youvegotitallwrong, Isaidfirmly,lockingeyeswithhersoshedgetthemessage.
Shegavemeaslysmirkandtookastepforward,undeterred.Relax.Theresnoneedtobeshy,shesaid,hervoicesmoothandseductive.Illtakegoodcareofyou.
Iwasalreadybacked intothewall,withnowhereelsetogowithoutphysicallyshovingheraway.Iraisedmyindexfinger,holdingitupbetweenuslikeastopsign.Enough,Iwarned,mytonesharperthistime.
Finally,shehesitatedandstoppedcoming.Sheblinkedatme,confusionflickeringacrossherface.Then,herexpressionshiftedtoannoyance.Dude,whatsyourdeal?Youweregivingmeallkindsofsignalsattheeventearlierandnowyoureplayinghardtoget? Ifrowned.Signals?Whatwassheeventalkingabout?Ihadntinteractedwithherbeyondthebasics.Ihonestlydontknowwhatyourereferringto.Inever gaveyouanysignals,Irepliedcalmlybutfirmly.
Herarmscrossedtightlyoverherchest.Sothen,whydidyoufollowmebackhere? sheshotback.
ewere Iraisedabrowather.Followyou?Ithoughtcominghereforaninterview,Isaid,tryingtosticktothestory.
Shescoffedandrolledhereyes.Aninterview?Inaprivateroomlikethis?sheasked,gesturingtothesecludedspacewithitsminimallightingandquestionabledecor.
Unfortunately,yes.Andtrustme,Icertainlydidntexpectyoutotryandmolestmethemomentwegothere,Isaidflatly.
Hersmug expressionfaltered.Shetookahalfstepback,hereyesnarrowingslightly.asifsomethinghadjustclickedinhermind.Waitaminute…Wejustmettonight.InevertoldyouIwasareporter.Sohowdidyouknow? Damnit.Ishouldnthave mentionedtheinterview.Thatwas arookiemistake.
I…uh…Isawyouinterviewingpeopleonthenewsonce,Istammered,tryingtosoundascasualas possible.FiguredySuccessfullyunlockedStonight,too.

Butshewasntbuyingit.Sheshookherheadslowly,hersuspiciongrowing.No,no.
Thatdoesntaddup.Theressomethingreallyoffaboutyou.Shebackedawayfurther,reachingforherpurseonthetablebehindher.Imleaving.
1/3 W CHAPTER077 Somuchforkeepingourcoverintact.Itwasclearnowthatshewasgetting suspiciousandfast.Butatleastwewerentinapublicarea.Noonewasaround.ThatmeantwecouldproceedwithPlanB.
Beforeshecouldreachthedoor,Isteppedforwardandgrabbedherwrist.Andwho saidyoucouldleave?Iaskedcoldly.
Hereyeswidenedasshestruggledtopullaway.LetgoofmeorIllcallsecurity!shesnapped,panicbeginningtocreepintohervoice.
Inthissituation,yourereallynotinapositiontomakethreats,Itoldher,tighteningmygripjustenoughtostopherfrombolting.
Rightoncue,Ronandtheotherswalkedintotheroom,quietandcomposed.
Noonefollowed?Iaskedwithouttakingmyeyesoffher.
Rongavemeacurtnod.Wereclear.
Hergazedarted betweeneachofthem,realizationdawningasfearspreadacrossherface.Whoareyoupeople?Areyouallwithhim?sheasked,hervoicetrembling.
Thefearinhereyestoldmeshefinallyunderstoodthiswasntsomedrunkenflirtationgonewrong.
Jacksteppedforwardslowly,holdingaglassofchampagneinhis hand.Thepalegoldenliquidshimmeredunderthedimlights,butIknewbetterthantobefooledbyappearanceshed alreadyspikeditwithsomethingpowerfuljustasplanned.

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Iveseenallyourfaces,shewarned,hertonetremblingbutdefiant.Ifyouretryingtokidnapme,youremakingahugemistake.Ihaveconnections.Powerfulones.Illruineverysingleoneofyou.
Ismirked,notevenbotheringtohidemyamusement.Letmeguess…youretalkingaboutusingthattinypaymentAdrianWestwoodgaveyoutodestroyourlives?Isaid,myvoicelowandmocking.
Herbravadofalteredinstantly.Hereyeswidened,flickingbetweenusindisbelief.Icouldseeitonherfacethewayshestiffened,theslightshakeinherhandsshewasrattled.Shehadntexpectedthat.She wasprobablyscramblinginhermind, wonderinghowweknewaboutherdirtylittledealwithAdrian.
Jacksteppedcloser,raisingtheglassinherdirectionwithacalm,deliberatehand..
Drinkthis,hesaid,hisvoicefirmandemotionless.
Shestaredattheglasslikeitwasavenomoussnake.Idrathernot.Thankyou,sherepliedcoldly,backingawayslightly.
Withoutwarning,sheswungherrightarm,attemptingtoknockthechampagnefromJackshand.Hermovementwasquick,butJack wasquickerhesteppedbackjustintime,thedrinkstillintact.
Thatwasenough.Imovedin,grabbingherflailingarmbeforeshecouldtryanything 2/3 CHAPTERZ else,holdinghersteady.Herstrugglesgotmoreandmoreintense,butshewasntstrongenoughtobreakfree.
Jackapproachedagain,hisfaceunreadable,andwithonehand,hegrabbedherjawandforcedherlipsapartwithhisthumb.Then,hepouredthechampagneintohermouth.
Swallow,hesaid .
Shehadnochoice.Withherthroatconstrictingaroundtheliquid,instinctkickedin.Sheswallowed,coughingslightlyafterwardbutotherwisefinefornow.
Ifinallylethergo,andshestumbledbackward,holdingherwrists,herbreathing.raggedanduneven.

Whatdidyouputin that?shedemanded,hervoicesharpwithfear.Shelookedaround,hopingforanswers,butnoneofussaidaword.Wesimplywatchedher.
Itwouldnttakelong.
Hereyesdartedtoherpurse.Inafranticrush,shegrabbedit,yankeditopen,and outherphone.Herfingersfumbledassheunlockeditandbegandialing.
Shewasgoingtotryitanyway.
Noneofusmoved.Wedidntneedto.Itwasalreadytoolate.
Justasshehoveredoverthecallbutton,herentirebodyfrozefora second.Herphoneslippedfromherhand,hittingthefloorwithasoftthud.Thenherkneesbuckledbeneathher, andshecollapsed.
Silencefilledtheroomforabeat,andthenJackslowlycroucheddownand pickedupherphone.
Shewasjustabouttohitsend,hesaid,showingthescreen.Closeone.
Inodded,steppingforward.Doesntmatteranymore.Thatcallwasnevergoingthrough.
Weallgatheredaroundher,watchingherliemotionlessonthefloor.Shewasbreathing,barely,butshewasoutcold.
Atthispointherconfessionwasnotthatimportantanymore,herphonewasopenedandthereshouldbeachatorsomekindoftransactionthatshemusthavehadwithAdrianthatwecoulduseaspartoftheproof,thiswouldscareherupalittleandshewouldhavenochoicebuttosaythetruth.