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“How did you expect it to end?”

He didn’t answer the question His dark eyes looked haunted as he gazed down at her “You’re right If you truly want to work, I can’t stop you I have no right to stop you,” he said in a low voice “All I can do is ask that you make the decision carefully And I know you will I see now that you’ll always look out for Misha I just have one favor to ask When you ain, choose well Choose carefully for our son”

“I thought I had,” she said softly Her feelings were rushing through her, alreed that she could work, but even that didn’t matter any him not to leave her

But she was the great-granddaughter of a princess She was Misha’s nity and pride They were all she had left

Reaching into her purse, she quietly handed him two pieces of paper “Here”

“What are these?” he said, sounding shaken

“The two best résumés for an executive secretary I lied when I said they weren’t any good because I hoped you’d hireI don’t want the company to suffer I care too much about the company I care too much about you I love you”

“Anna—”

She stepped away fro into his eyes “Goodbye, Nikos Good luck”

She turned to go, still praying he’d stop her

He didn’t

Going into the next rooe had packed for her the previous night and put on a T-shirt and jeans She carefully placed the custody agreeed Misha and cuddled him close

Taking a deep breath, she glanced down the hall, hoping against hope that Nikos would appear, put his strong arms around her, and tell her this had all been a horrible mistake

But Nikos’s office door remained closed

He didn’t even care enough to say goodbye He was probably already phoning the e soirl to ask for a date

Apparently she was easy to replace In every way

Straightening, she held on to the frayed edges of her dignity and walked out of the penthouse where, just an hour ago, she’d thought she found love and security at last She wouldn’t let herself cry Not in his casino, where his men and his security cameras were everywhere

She ed to hold back her sobs until she reached the sidewalk on Las Vegas Boulevard Where to now? There was a taxi stand at the hotel across the street She could barely see through her tears as she stepped off the curb Just in ti toward her in the sparse early- traffic She juhtened at how close she’d co into traffic with her son

“Just who I was looking for,” a cold voice said She looked up with a gasp to see Victor sitting inside the van’s open door with several of his men “What? No snappy comeback? Not so brave when you’re alone, are you? Grab the kid,” he ordered

Anna started to fight and screa to run away, but it was hopeless When Misha was ripped from her arms she immediately surrendered Ten seconds later she was tied up in the back of the van, on her way to hell Victor faced her with cold eyes and an oily smile

“You have a choice to make, loobemaya What happens next is up to you”

Nikos had a sick feeling in his gut

Pacing around his L’Here penthouse, he poured himself a bourbon, then put it down untasted He went to his home office, started to check his ee He finally went to theoverlooking Las Vegas Twenty floors above the city, he had a clear view He could see the wide desert beyond the city to the far mountains It seemed to stretch forever The emptiness was everywhere

Especially here

I did the right thing letting her go, he told hiot worse His knees felt weak, as if he’d just run twenty ht chae of theHe put his head in his hands

It was the silence that was killing him

The absolute silence of his beautifully decorated aparthter No lullabies from Anna No voices at all Just dead silence

He could call one of his trusted employees, like Cooper He could call acquaintances from the club He could call any of a dozen women he’d dated They would be here in less than ten minutes to fill his home with noise

But he didn’t want them

He wanted his family

He wanted her His secretary His lover His friend

“I had to give her up,” he repeated to hih his hair I didn’t love her

“Are you sure about that, sir?” a Scottish voice said from behind him

Nikos jumped when he realized he’d spoken his last words aloud Mrs Burbridge was standing in the doorway, her hands folded in front of her A sharp reply rose to his lips, but her plu he bit back the words Instead, he muttered, “Of course I’m sure”