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CHAPTER 1

Declan

Had I not been so happy, I wouldn’t have let Courtney kiss istered as happening

She’d lured ala at the Met She said she had soht about it I’d have knohat she was up to, but I didn’t A ser to see her in that gown, searching for her face in the crowd She hadn’t arrived yet, but she would soon

Since the one person I wanted to see wasn’t there yet, I decided I could give Courtney twoand relentless woive her a bit of ht o there if you didn’t have to?

Even as she ledfor Kara I saw no sign In the last twenty ht to voice ready, but patience wasn’t oith the diaiven her, and even better, later on stripped down to just the corset underneath

Courtney dragged ress I guess soressive attack women I wasn’t one of them I was all for a wonals, not-taking-no-for-an-answer bullshit wasn’t going to play She wanted a piece of ed to Kara It was that simple

But even without Kara, I’d have no interest Courtney wasn’taround to different socialite events She didn’t need any man for his money, that was for sure She just needed some man candy who could pose for the ca line of interested candidates I just wasn’t one of them

In the dark hallway she started talking real low so I had to lean into her She faked picking so off of , but didn’t really get pissed off until she planted one on me

Usually I would have seen it co I kneouard up

But being with Kara had madeany ot her three seconds in heaven Until I grabbed her around her boney shoulders and pushed her away, firm and clear

“Not going to happen” I shook my head no

She looked too pleased as she said, “Suit yourself” Shrugging, she walked off like getting rejected was no big deal She was up to soaotten off easy and she’d lost interest Maybe she was off to find some other cowboy to ride for the month

It was tiuests, s I still found it funny to be counted as one of them

I’d figured Kara would have arrived by then I re these sorts of events She ements to meet her But there wasn’t time for that now

I got up on the podiueneric word or two about the i services for children in the foster care systeuests Public speaking didn’t phase me Easy as pie

What phasedfor her face a, but no luck Afterwards, I had to work the crowd, shaking hands with this Rockefeller and that Astor, drinking a high ball with a DuPont and discussing bow hunting in Montana with a Vanderbilt New York really kne to pull out the old money You could always tell, too Old money never looked as done up as new enerations The older woer ones never, ever flashed even a bit of cleavage New iant fake boobs and perfectly veneered teeth, and new ood tiht then and there in front of everyone Old et an even bigger donation, requesting anonymity

One classic old-ht British accent spoke to ency about the cause He clutched his cane with his thin hand and pierced ht of foster children and how h the cracks He looked frail and somewhat sickly, but he spoke with passion He wanted to know about enerous supporter

Noriven hi out, especially since he honestly looked like he needed to be resting at home in bed But it hit 10 o’clock and I had to excuse myself

Where the hell was Kara? She wasn’t responding to her cell phone and she definitely wasn’t at the party I knew because in-between all the glad-handing and chitchat I was prowling the premises like a panther I called Vladimir and he confirmed that he’d dropped her off almost two hours earlier So your charity And sometimes you needed to quit it and hit the road towas OK with the one you loved

Almost at the door, another socialite shark corneredsyste that could cue the Jaws soundtrack so I could prepare myself prior to attack In alcohol-soaked, breathy tones, she clasped a boney claw to ift to my foundation She wanted to discuss the terms in private I’d heard she had recently finalized a divorce with husband nu protocol, I ed to steer her toward a more interested party so I could

finally slip away into the night

I jogged the six blocks to our hotel I doubted a single attendee at the Met would have considered such physical exertion A punishing workout with a personal trainer in top-of-the-line athletic gear, sure A jog on city blocks in a tuxedo, not so et soft Not me

I knew my driver Vladiht not even be saving any time on foot But I couldn’t sit in the back of a car at traffic lights, not when I didn’t knohat had happened to Kara She was such an innocent, so naïve and I’d only showed her the glittering lights of New York City Much darker dangers lurked around every corner and Kara would attract a criet burned

Had she chickened out at the door? She must have felt intiements to meet her outside so I could walk her in to the party If I hadn’t been so out of it when I’d said goodbye to her at the hotel roo late, which I never did, confused and unfocused and wanting nothing et back into bed with Kara It had made me careless, sloppy, and I hadn’t told her to text ot there I could have walked her up the steps, arm in arm I could have shown her around, introduced her, made sure she felt comfortable Instead I’d been stupid and noho knehere she’d disappeared to She probably didn’t even bring her cell phone with her to the party She had no way to get in touch with me if she needed help

Heart pounding in my chest, I burst into the hotel room

“Kara?” My voice seemed to echo in what immediately became clear was an empty hotel room “Kara, where are you?” I played out the part in every horroreven though everyone including hione

On the counter I saw a note Soood

Declan,

Soh for me to help with the ranch I don’t need you any our contract a day early, so I do not hold you to your end of the bargain You don’t owe

Kara

I looked up My fingers kept pinching the note tight and bloodless I walked over to the bar and poured , hard s of liquor, I read the note again