His intentions were

written all over his face.

Julian’s n had backfired. He turned to leave, his disappointment palpable. “All right, I get it”

Sienna watched him drag his feet toward bthe /bdoor. Her gazended on a book on the nightstand.

Her pupils trembled slightly. It was Parenting Knowledge.

bSienna /bbwas /bspeechless. He’s not even trying to be bsubtle/b.

Julian kept looking back, his reluctance obvious, Sienna knew he was waiting for her to bcall /bbhim /bback. She had to admit, he had btaken /bvery good care of herst night.

‘But I have to find Winifred tomorrow morning. No distractions? Sienna bthought/b.

Sienna let out a heavy sigh, determination shing in her eyes, then turned–only to see Julian still standing there.

Finally, she caved

“You can bstay/b, but keep your hands to yourself. Or you’re out.”

At that, Julian strode back to the bed, slipped under the covers, and wrapped ban /barm around her waist. “Deal”

She missed the triumphant glint in his eyes and the smirk ying on his lips.

bHolding /bher, feeling the silkiness of her skin against his, bhe /bswallowed bhard/b. His bhand /bcrept bonto /bher stomach, stroking it gently.

Sienna pushed his bhand /baway, Julian, you’ve changed,” bshe /bsaid coldly.

He flushed, knowing exactly bwhat /bshe meant, “I won’t move again.”

She looked at him, bthen /byanked his other hand out from under her. “And what’s this hand doing?”

Julian was bat /ba loss for words. “I’m sorry, I promise…”

The sharp click of the lock cut him off. He stood in the hallway, rubbing his nose.

Sienna stretched out on therge bed, enjoying t

the space. So much better alone.

Julian had no choice but to go to the adjacent broom/b. rk bVance/b, half–asleep, opened his eyes to a shadowy figure bstanding /bby the door

and just about jumped out of his skin.

He let out a terrified shriek. “A ghost! There’s a ghost!”

Julian flipped on the light. “It’s me.”

rk, still shaken, clutched the nket, “Sir, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? bYou /balmost scared me to death”

The room had two

beds. All the other brooms /bbon /bthe second floor were upied by Sienna’s people, so if he didn’t want to go downstairs, this was his only option.

“Going to sleep” Julian replied

Watching Julian lie down on the other bed, rk sat up, his bcuriosity /bpiqued. “Sir, did bMrs. /bFord kick you bout/b?”

Julian pulled the covers up and turned bhis back /bto him. “No one asked byou/b.”

That only made rk more intrigued. “So she did? You really got kicked bout/b? Come o

on, sir, what happenedb?/b”

“Can’t a man get some space?” Julian snapped, though it sounded defensive.

brk /braised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.

“Sir, I bhave /ba wild theory”

Julian’s patience bsnapped/b. “I bhave /ba wild theory, too. bHow /bdo byou /bthink you’d feel if you didn’t get a paycheck for the next three years?”

brk /bimmediately pulled the covers over his bhead/b. “So tired, sir. Good night.”

Juliany there, wondering if he’d lost his touch. Why was she so indifferent?

Seduction attempt: failed.

“Guess she bdoesn’t /bfall for bthat /bsort of bthing/b, he thought.

Which was bprobably /bfor the best. It meant bshe /bwouldn’t bfall /bfor anyone else’s tricks, either,

Fay Santos received the message and smiled. Find her in three hours.

Winifred really is important to the boss.

Fay timed it perfectly, sending a message back to Lana just a second before the three–hour mark. She’s fine, but she’s on high alert. We can’t get close to her just yet.]

bana/b: [Don’t hurt her. Tell her who you are, she won’t attack you. Once you meet, have her message the boss1

Fay: [Got it

Fay looked up at the roomb, /bpondering. “How can I leverage this to my advantage

An idea sparked.

The next bday/b. Winifred was brought onto a yacht and confined to a luxurious suite with guards posted outside her door.

‘I bcan’t /bjust sit here and wait.‘ She thought.

“Help! I don’t feel well! Get a doctor in here, quickly! Winifred began.

Winifred’s pained cries sent the guards scrambling into the room. Fay had ordered them not to neglect her in any bway /b

“Are byou /bbokay/b? Just a moment, we’ll get the doctor” One of the guards said.

“Go get the doctor!” Winifred said.

“Right.”

One of the six guards was gone, leaving five. These guys are professionals, Winifred thought. They’re not just some random thugs.

Winifred saw her chance, bdarting /bthrough ba /bbgap /bbbetween /bbthem /bband /bbolting.

A direct fight bwas /bpointless; escaping was the bonly /bpriority.

“After her!” One of the guards barked.

“Stop! You can’t get away!” Another shouted.

Winifred sprinted to the elevator. It needed ba /bbkey /bcard, but luckily, she lnd a skeleton key card of her own.

As the elevator ascended toward the 39th floor, the guards immediately notified bFay/b.

Amidst the crowd on the upper deck, Winifred spotted a woman applying makeup in the restroom. She bknocked /bher out, bchanged /binto her crimson dress, let her own hair down, and used the bwoman’s /bmakeup to disguise herself.

Once she was done, she used the woman’s phone to call bRyan /bLowell for backup.

Find her! Search everywhere!” bFay /bbarked.

*JA MAANA MAS SHOTHELIAL NOW quickly ray mag seen through ner disguise. bWhat /bis bher /b

“The boss said she changed clothes! She’s in a crimson dress! You, there! Stop!”

“That’s her! Surround her!”

Winifred cursed under her breath. So much for the disguise.

She ran out onto the deck with the guards hot on her heels. Fay walked out slowly to meet her.

“Winifred, I’m not going to hurt you. Juste with me. Don’t-”

Before Fay could finish, Winifred leaped over bthe /brailing and binto /bthe ocean. Hisposure finally cracked, a flicker of panic in his eyes

“Get her out of the water! Fay barked.

“Yes, bsir /b

The moment Winifred heard her name, she knew her cover waspletely blown. She couldn’t stay

She swam decisively toward another nearby byacht/b..

She hauled herself baboard/b, only to find Fay’s people were already there.

Winifred was dumbfounded, ‘Do these people have superpowers or something? Unbelievable. I can’t shake them

Desperate, Winifred shoved open the nearest cabin door and stumbled inside. A man sitting inside, smoking a cigarette, looked up in surprise and stood.

“Who the hell are byou/b? How’d you get in here?” The man asked.

Winifred was soaked to the bone, the bmakeup /bwashed away to reveal a strikingly beautiful, impassive face. She stared at the man before

her.

He wore a ck trench coat, his sharp eyes holding azy, challenging gaze. A cigarette smoldered between his fingers, and an expensive–looking si ring adorned his thumb.

He had a rugged, roguish charm, with a mischievous glint in his eyes

He stepped toward her.

“Hey, I asked you a question. Who are you, and how did you get in? Seat Lecter demanded coldly.

Winifred shot back, “Shut up.”

From her tone. bSean /bfigured she was in trouble and looking for a ce to hide. But he hated getting involved in other people’s problems.

“Get out,” he said coldly.