LOGIN"No," Noah said, rising quickly and grabbing his jacket. "Even if I would stoop to such unprofessional behavior, it's Elena's first day of work tomorrow—which she told you already. So if you'll excuse me, my family and I will be leaving now—good night."There was some grumbling but as Noah helped Sl
Elena didn't know what to say. Sloane just looked at Elena sadly and shook her head."I don't... we didn't expect anything less," Sloane said slowly, her voice choking up a little. "Noah said he didn't care—that he'd wait as long as it took for them to come around—but I think we both knew what the r
Alone in front of the gigantic mirror and fancy sinks, Elena could finally breathe again. This dinner was turning into a disaster. So Elena pulled out her phone.Without thinking, she scrolled through her contacts. Her finger was suddenly hovering over "Max's" contact info.Elena felt her heart stop
The main course of the dinner dragged on—and with it came a slight change in the Winslow family's approach. Elena had given up on asking any questions about Noah's immediate family or their company, and Sloane had also decided to focus on her meal rather than keeping the conversation afloat. For a f
"We make toys," Jack said slowly. "Like the nice robots you see on the shelf of every toy store or the viral teddy bears that the internet has been going crazy for."Elena laughed. When no one was joking, she realized Jack wasn't acting—he genuinely thought he was answering her question."Ah no, tha
The atmosphere in the five-star restaurant was awkward—more awkward than anything Elena had experienced in less fancy diners and dive bars.Including Cameron, all four of Noah's brothers were there. They introduced themselves hurriedly—Elena barely heard the names "Jack" and "Kevin." The youngest on
He was a mechanic, so he must be well-built. His hands would probably be calloused but gentle—he certainly picked his words carefully, so it would make sense that his actions would be precise, too.He was probably a touch old-fashioned, so maybe he'd wear a proper suit. And maybe, just maybe, he'd w
"Witness protection?" Elena echoed. "When—how—why—"Joshua squeezed her hand again. "I'll pull some strings. You're a civilian, Elena—I'm not going to sit back and watch a crime boss try to kill you."As her senses returned, Elena pulled back her hand. She shook her head."I can't," she insisted."E
Unfortunately, Elena wouldn't let that be the end of it."You're not choosing anything," Elena complained."We've picked out plenty of presents already," Massimo stated."No," Elena chided, "I've made suggestions and you've blindly agreed to them. You haven't picked out anything yourself."Massimo k
Luca looked at the receipts and nodded. "I'll get these processed later tonight.""Thanks. Oh, and while I have you, do you have any idea what to expect for the business meeting this Tuesday?""Injuries caused by bullets, knives, or explosives," Luca listed off. "Though it's more likely you'll be ne







