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CHAPTER ONE
“THEY’RE CALLING YOU a ruthless bastard,” Diane said as she scanned the article in the business azine “You must be happy”
Matthew Fenner looked at his secretary, but didn’t speak Eventually she glanced up and smiled
“You like being called a ruthless bastard,” she reminded him
“I like respect,” he corrected
“Or fear”
He nodded “Fear works”
Diana dropped the open azine on his desk “Don’t you ever want someone to think you’re nice?” she asked
“No”
Being the nice guy o He picked up one of the ht him every aspect of that lesson had just called
His secretary sighed “I worry about you”
“You’re wasting your time”
“Don’t panic I only do it on my off hours”
He scowled at his fifty-sonored him While he would never admit it, the fact that he didn’t inti Although he had a reputation for being the kind of business on the side of the road, he didn’t enjoy watching his staff cower At least not all the time
“Did you have anything else?” he asked, then looked pointedly at the door
She rose “Jesse called again Thather back?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes If you’re going to continue to ignore her, I’d like to just tell her and put her out of her misery” Diane frowned “You’re usually more clear with your BGFs They rarely phone after you dump them”
“I’ve asked you not to call them that”
Diane blinked innocently “Have you? I’”
She was lying, but he didn’t call her on it Referring to the woirlfriends—was her way of showing disapproval She coeable—like fashion dolls All physically si in heart and brains She wasn’t wrong
What Diane couldn’t bring herself to believe was that he dated the for more
“She’s someone I used to know,” he said, then wished he hadn’t Diane didn’t need the inforo
“Really? Does she actually have a personality, or—” she waved her hands in front of her face as if to keep fro “—a brain? Now that you mention it, she sounded almost normal”
“I didn’t mention it”
“Hmm I’m sure you did So tell me about your mysterious past with this woman”
“You can leave now”
“Why is she back in Seattle? Is she nice? Would I like her? Do you like her?”
He pointed at the door
Diane walked across his office “So you’re saying the next tiht?”
He ignored her and she left
Matt rose, then crossed to theHis office was at the top of an Eastside high-rise with an impressive view His business life defined every aspect of success He’dhe wanted and more—money, power, respect and no one to answer to
Slowly, deliberately, he crue from Jesse and tossed it into the trash
DESPITE THE PROMISES of several fas, Jesse Keyes discovered it was possible to go hoain, which was just her bad luck Not that she could blame anyone for her current circumstances—she’d decided to return to Seattle all on her own Well, okay, uy in her life
She glanced in the rearview mirror and smiled at her four-year-old son
“Guess what?” she asked
His dark eyes brightened as he grinned at her “Are we there yet?”
“We’re here!”
Gabe clapped his hands “I like here”
They were in town for the suet her past in order and her future set Give or take a week