The Catholic ceremony seemed to go on forever. My agnostic parents had never taken us to church, and I was baffled by all the sitting, standing, and kneeling—but it did help me figure out how to maneuver my dress without ripping it. Good thing Gabe was one of the attendants. He would’ve laughed if he’d seen me struggling to keep up with the priest’s nebulous instructions.

When the priest announced Alexander and Cynthia as husband and wife, the crowd cheered. The couple grinned at each other and sealed their vows with the traditional kiss. When they turned to face the pews, they both looked exuberant.

Gabe turned from his mother and stared at me, an intense look on his face. I smiled, and he flashed his dimple, but his eyes were fiery…almost as if he were seeing me for the first time.

* * *

Back at the Four Seasons, enormous floral arrangements dominated each table. A giant crystal chandelier and hundreds of flickering candles washed the room in a warm, elegant glow.

Even with the gorgeous backdrop, Gabe’s mother stole the show. She couldn’t stop smiling, and her enthusiasm as she held on to Alexander while hugging her family and friends was infectious.

She greeted me warmly, pulling me in for a hug. “You’re so beautiful, Lauren.”

She turned to Gabe, giving him a long, admonishing look—almost as if she was about to ground him—then leaned over and whispered something in his ear.

She winked at me when she pulled back.

A faint blush crept up Gabe’s cheek—something I’d never seen before. He glowered at her. “See you on the dance floor, Mother.”

Gabe pulled me away and hustled me through the reception, grabbing two flutes of champagne as we went. “Please don’t let her scare you away.”

I shook my head. “I love your mother.” She had many of the same good qualities as Gabe. She was open, confident, and loving. Gabe had all those traits, but they were wrapped in an aggressive, relentless package; his mother wore them more softly.

He had a long sip of champagne—more like a slug. “She’s obviously crazy about you. In an absolutely mortifying way.”

“What did she just say?” I didn’t mean to pry, but he seemed rattled.

He scrubbed a hand over his face. “She wanted to talk logistics.”

“Logistics of what?”

Gabe suddenly held my pocketbook—which he’d been carrying for me—up to his ear. “I think that’s your phone. You should check it in case it’s Hannah.”

It was Hannah’s number on the screen. I answered immediately. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she sobbed.

My heart pounded in my ears. “Then why are you crying?”

“Wes is awake.” She erupted into fresh sobs. “He’s awake and he’s okay.”

“Gabe, Wes is okay—”

Gabe squeezed my hand. “I can hear her.”

“Is he lucid?” I asked.

“Yes. That’s what I was worried most about—and he was a little disoriented at first—but he’s okay! Everything is normal. He doesn’t remember getting shot, but that’s probably a good thing…”

“What did Dr. Kim say?”

Hannah blew her nose. “He said he’s going to make a full recovery, but the rehabilitation process could take a long time. He needs to be careful about his heart, and the atrophy is pretty bad, so he’ll have to do an aggressive course of physical therapy. But he’s stable enough to be moved out of ICU, probably tomorrow.”

“That’s amazing.” I clutched Gabe’s hand. “Please tell him Gabe and I send our love—we’ll be home tomorrow afternoon. I can’t wait to see him.”

“Tell him I’m thrilled,” Gabe said, joy and relief evident on his face.

Hannah sniffled. “I will.”

“Okay. I love you.”

“I love you too—but wait, don’t hang up!”

“What’s the matter?”

“Nothing.” Hannah blew her nose again. “I just wanted to see…what’s new with you.”

“Um, nothing? Except I’m at a wedding on the other side of the country, and I met Gabe’s mother for the first time. But you already knew that.”

“But what’s…going on?”

I looked around hopelessly, wondering what she meant. “We’re in Boston at Gabe’s mother’s reception. The wedding was beautiful. I’m wearing the dress you picked out, and I can’t breathe in it.”

“She looks totally hot,” Gabe called, “so I owe you one.”

“But nothing’s new?” She sounded crestfallen.

“No—what’re you even talking about?”

“Ugh, it’s nothing. Call me tomorrow, okay? Or tonight…if you feel like it.”

“Okay?”

We hung up, and I shook my head, confused. “Something is up with my sister.”

“Huh,” Gabe said, but he didn’t ask me anything further.

Huh.

He tipped his champagne flute against mine. “Cheers. To Wesley. That’s amazing news.”

“Cheers.” My heart swelled with joy. “I can’t believe he’s awake and he’s okay.”

“I know. I didn’t know what was going to happen. But he’s a fighter, just like your sister.”

We stopped and drank our champagne. Holding his hand, knowing that Hannah and Wesley were okay, I felt elated and calm for the first time in weeks. I squeezed Gabe’s hand again, reveling in the newfound peace in my heart.

I turned and found Gabe watching me, another intense look on his face. “Have you ever been to a wedding before?” he asked.

“Sure—but nothing like this. I went to my cousin’s wedding when I was twelve. It was a backyard-barbecue sort of thing.”

“Which one do you like better?”

“I don’t know. I was twelve, Gabe. The whole thing seemed very dramatic to me, even though we sat on folding chairs in my aunt’s backyard. This is obviously much more sophisticated.”

He smiled, but there was still something off about his face. “I mean do you prefer a smaller wedding? Or do you like all of this?” He motioned around the opulent reception.

“I don’t…I don’t know,” I said, because I didn’t. I’d never been a girl who’d dreamed of her wedding day. I’d dreamed of curing cancer and eliminating greenhouse gases. The only white garment I’d ever pictured myself wearing was a lab coat.

“Never mind.” He shook his head as if he could read my thoughts. “Would you like to dance?”

I looked at the couples beginning to swirl on the dance floor. “Um…” I could barely walk in my dress.

“I’ll lead,” Gabe said, sensing my discomfort.

I finished my champagne, bracing myself for the worst. “Please don’t let me trip.”

He held out his hand to me. “Never.”

Gabe held me close as we danced, so close that I didn’t even have to pretend I knew how. My nerves melted away as I swayed against his chest, happy and content, oblivious to the crowd around us. He put his cheek against mine, not saying a word, just holding me in time to the music. At the end of the song, he kissed me deeply, right out on the middle of the dance floor.

Heat surged through me. I clung to him, oblivious to the dancers around us. I wanted more.

I always wanted more.

He kissed me again, gentler this time. Then he placed his forehead against mine. “I love you.” His voice was husky.

I smiled at him, but he didn’t smile back. “You know I love you too. But what’s the matter? I feel like you’re not telling me something.”

“It’s nothing.” He reached over and stroked my cheek.

For the rest of the night, Gabe kept his hands firmly on me. We danced, we ate, we drank with his brothers, laughing and telling stories. He didn’t let go of me once.

By the time the reception wrapped up, I wanted his hands everywhere. His touch burned my skin, and my body ached for him.

“My brothers want us to change and go to their suite for more drinks,” Gabe said in the elevator ride back to our floor.

I smiled, trying to mask my disappointment. “Of course.”

Gabe turned suddenly, pinning me against the wall of the elevator. He grinned wickedly. “I told them I had some important business to attend to first.” He crushed his lips against mine, and I arched my back so I could mold my body to his. I could feel his erection pressing against me, hot and hard.

He broke free and looked at me, his brown eyes sparkling. “As long as that’s okay with you, that is.”

I grabbed him by the tuxedo lapels and greedily pulled him closer. “I thought you’d never ask.”

* * *

Later, after we’d made love twice, Gabe sat propped up in bed, stroking my hair. He had that same thoughtful look on his face, as though something were eating at him.

“Are you upset about your mother getting married?”

He shook his head as if to clear it. “Not at all. Why do you ask?”

I ran my fingers along his jawline. “You just seem like something’s on your mind.”

He kept stroking my hair. “You are, as usual, correct.”

I grinned, trying to lighten his mood. “That’s because I’m brilliant.”

“You are brilliant. Among other things.”

“That doesn’t sound good—what sort of other things?”

He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. “Sometimes you’re hard to read, babe.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

A warning alarm sounded inside my head, and I sat up. “Did I do something wrong?” We’d been social nonstop since we’d arrived in Boston. Introverted, uptight nerd that I was, I’d probably said or done the wrong thing. Maybe I’d embarrassed him.

“Of course not—boy, I am messing this up.”

I sat there, my brow furrowed.

“My family loves you, Lauren. You can relax your forehead.”

That made me feel better, but I continued to scowl, waiting for him to continue.

He sighed. Then he lay back, putting his hands behind his head, and stared at the ceiling for what felt like forever. I wasn’t sure if he was going to say anything else.

All of a sudden, he laughed—a deep, guttural sound that seemed out of his control.

“What’s so funny?”

He stopped laughing, but it took him a minute. “I’m nervous.” A funny look crossed his face, as if he smelled something repugnant or had a sour taste in his mouth. “This is a first for me. Obviously, I’m not handling it well.”

“You’re going to have to elaborate. I’m totally lost.”

He propped himself up on one arm to gather his thoughts—at least I got to admire his sculpted bicep while I waited.

“You know how my mother was whispering to me earlier? That’s what I’m nervous about.”

I still had no idea what was going on. “Okay…”

“Although she wanted to talk about logistics, and I’m more nervous about the actual execution—and the outcome, of course.”

“Of course. But can you tell me what the heck you’re talking about?”

He laughed again. “This isn’t going how I’d planned.”

I said nothing, waiting for him to make sense.

Gabe sighed, raking his hand through his hair and getting up from the bed. He dithered around—at least I got to admire his ass and his muscled thighs for a moment, until he pulled his boxer briefs on. “Why are you getting dressed?”

He held out one of his old Harvard T-shirts for me. “Put this on. We can’t do this naked.”

That didn’t sound promising. My scowl deepened. I wanted to stay in the warm bed, but I pulled the T-shirt on.

He patted the edge of the bed. “C’mere.”

I suspiciously went and sat near him. He knelt on the ground in front of me, raking his hands through his hair, making it spike. I longed to smooth it, but I held back, waiting for him to speak.

“So—logistics. I need to get this out of the way first.” He grabbed my hands and looked up at me. “I don’t think this is the best timing, but in other ways, it’s the absolute best timing—because it’s now, and I don’t want to wait anymore.”

I nodded, swallowing over a sudden lump in my throat.

“But my mother said this was all she wanted for a wedding present, so I consider that her blessing.”

I opened my mouth and then closed it.

“Babe. You know who I am, and you accept me. But I knew me before—and I know that I’m a better man because of you.”

“Oh…thank you.”

Gabe’s eyes widened. “No—thank you. Because you’ve given me the life I always wanted. You’ve inspired me, and you inspire me every day. I consider it an honor to know you. I mean that. I love you so much, babe.”

My eyes filled with tears, but I held them back. “I love you too.”

“Good.” Gabe seemed to relax a fraction. “But back to logistics. My mother got married today.”

“I know. I was there.”

“Lauren, your genius is showing.” He flashed a dimple. “Because this was her day, I didn’t think this was the right time…”

I bit my lip. I wanted to ask: The right time for what? But I felt suspiciously like I might burst into tears.

“But she insisted it was. She said she was too old to have her thunder stolen.”

“Babe?”

“Yes?”

“Can you please tell me what you’re talking about?”

He laughed to himself, and I saw his dimple. I reached out to stroke his cheek.

He pulled the nightstand drawer open and brought out a small, square box, then looked up at me. “My father gave this to my mother—it isn’t much. It was all he could afford.”

I could see the muscles in his throat work as he swallowed, and I almost lost it.

He opened the box, and there was a ring inside—a simple gold band and a solitary, circular diamond.

“I wanted you to have this ring because it’s special to me. I know how much my dad loved my mom—I love you that much. And I want to ask you: will you marry me? I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

I opened my mouth to respond and promptly burst into tears.

Gabe pulled me to him, cradling me in his arms. I thought he might be crying too, but I couldn’t be sure. Once I finally calmed down, he pulled back. “Was there an answer in there somewhere?”

“Yes. The answer is yes.”

A look of pure joy, the likes I’d never seen, broke out over his face. “I’m so glad.”

He slid the ring onto my finger, and we both stared at it. “I can’t believe it fits like it was made for you. I guess this really was meant to be.” Gabe pulled me back into his arms, and then we both cried. This time, I was sure.

Once we calmed down, we sat on the bed and admired my left hand. “My mother would love this ring. I wish she could be here.” Still, I felt her with me—breathing a huge sigh of relief.

“I wish I could’ve met your parents. They must’ve been amazing people.”

“They were. They would have loved you.”

He kissed the top of my head. “I need to call my mom. And you need to call your sister.”

I sat up straight. “Did she know? Is that why she was acting so funny on the phone?”

Gabe nodded, looking guilty. “I asked her permission.”

“That’s cute—so why do you look like that—guilty?”

Gabe looked down, playing with the ring on my finger. “She got, er…a little excited.”

“Of course she did. She loves you, and she’s my sister. She’s been dying for us to get engaged.” But then suddenly it dawned on me. The thing that followed the engagement was the wedding. “Oh no. Oh boy. She’s going to go crazy. We can’t let her.”

Gabe’s jaw muscle tightened. “Well…she sort of already started. She’s been texting me all weekend.” He showed me his phone, which was filled with pictures of wedding venues, cakes, and links to different appetizer lists.

I dropped the phone onto the bed. “She’s already planning a menu?”

“And she’s been dress shopping. She made you a bunch of appointments at bridal salons when we get back.” He held up his hands. “Don’t shoot the messenger, babe. I’m just trying to prepare you.”

“Oh…wow.”

“The thing is, you can’t say no to her.”

“Of course not. We just got her back, and she’s been planning both of our weddings since she was four.” I might as well accept bridal defeat. If I had my way, Gabe and I would get married in a courthouse first thing Monday morning. But Hannah would have other plans—lots of other plans. I groaned. “She can do whatever she wants.”

“I already told her that. I gave her the black American Express card.”

I peered at him. “She’s going to break it, you know.”

“That’s fine.” He put his arms around me. “Let her have some fun. She deserves it.”

I settled myself against his chest, putting my left hand up so I could still stare at it. “I can’t believe we’re getting married, I’m so excited!”

“So am I.” Gabe wrapped his arms around me, a huge grin on his face. “And this is just the beginning.”

“The beginning of what?”

“Of us, babe. The beginning of us.”

* * *

* * *

Hannah Taylor—the bright, bubbly publicity director of Silicon Valley’s celebrated startup Paragon Laboratories—was kidnapped and beaten. Her bodyguard-boyfriend, Wesley Eden, was shot right in front of her. The responsible party? None other than Chinese mogul Li Na Zhao, who’ll stop at nothing to steal Paragon’s blockbuster biotechnology from Hannah’s CEO sister, Lauren.

 Now, Wesley and Hannah are back home and on the mend. Their relationship is tested as Wesley struggles to recover, and Hannah, fueled by the injustice of Li Na’s actions, is out for retribution while refusing to acknowledge the PTSD she’s grappling with from her kidnapping. Wes is convinced that Hannah is hiding the truth about her captivity, and he’s determined to find out what really happened while Li Na had Hannah.

Out to protect her loved ones, Hannah is hell-bent on finally taking Li Na down, especially after she discovers that Paragon isn’t the only Silicon Valley company in Li Na’s cross hairs. Naturally, the ethically challenged Chinese CEO refuses to give up without a fight...

But she hasn’t tangled with Hannah Taylor when she’s bent on revenge.

“Hey.” I nudged Wes’s shoulder and he groaned.

He pulled me, gently, against his chest. “Hey what?”

I nestled against his big body, warm underneath the blankets, while staying mindful of his bandages—and the wounds they protected. “I have to get going to work.”

He kissed my forehead. “Stay for a while.”

Feeling his arousal, I rolled my eyes. “Easy, stud. Dr. Kim said you need to take it slow.”

“I know.” He chuckled. “But you’re awfully close, and you’re awfully pretty.”

“Aw, that’s sweet—and it’s a nice try, but I’m not going against doctor’s orders.” I slid off him and moved to the other side of the bed. I didn’t want to tempt him, and the doctor said we should abstain for a few more weeks. We needed to be sure Wesley’s heart was strong enough to withstand intense physical exertion.

His heart… I shivered, thinking about how I’d almost lost him. He’d been shot right in front of me, and I’d thought he was dead…

“Hey.” Wes reached for me, pulling me closer. “I’m a little worried about you. You had another nightmare. Do you remember?”

“No.” That wasn’t entirely true—I had a vague memory of the dream, someone trying to grab me and hold me down in the dark. “Did I wake you up?”

“You did, but I don’t mind. You said some stuff, though. You were crying.”

“Oh. Huh. Sorry about that.”

“You don’t need to apologize.”

I kissed his cheek. “You really are the sweetest, but I have to go. The nurse should be here soon, okay?”

“Okay.” But he didn’t sound okay. “Do you want to…talk about it? The dream?”

I got up, throwing on one of Wes’s enormous T-shirts and a pair of my sweats. “Talk about something I don’t even remember, that has no bearing on reality? Nope.” I leaned down to kiss him again. “I’m going to grab us some coffee before I take a shower. Be right back.”

Wes didn’t say anything, because he didn’t have to. The look on his face said plenty—he was worried about me.

He’s being ridiculous, I thought as I headed to the kitchen. He’d been shot, suffered a head injury, and put into a medically induced coma. He’d had a minor heart attack while in said coma. I’d only been kidnapped by some assholes who held me captive in a dirty condominium—compared to what Wes had been through, I’d had it easy.

My sister, Lauren, and her fiancé, Gabe, were already in the kitchen. They were dressed and ready to go to their respective offices. Gabe was headed to Dynamica, the technology company he owned in San Jose. Lauren, of course, was heading to Paragon Laboratories, the biotechnology company she owned and where I worked as the publicity director.

Lauren’s face lit up when she saw me. “Good morning.” She wrapped me in a big hug and rocked me back and forth. She’d greeted me this same way every day since I’d come home, holding me like she’d never let go.

“Hi.” The word came out muffled against her long, blonde hair.

“Is Wes up?” Gabe asked as Lauren released me.

“Yeah. I’m just getting us some coffee.”

Gabe headed to our room. “I’ll see if he needs help.”

“Thanks.” I turned back to Lauren. “Gabe’s being so great about Wesley—seriously, I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

Gabe and Lauren had asked Wes and me to stay at their enormous estate in Palo Alto for a while. After everything that had happened, we all felt safer together at the compound. We were surrounded by Gabe’s security-agent brothers, Levi and Asher Betts, a team of their top Betts Security agents, along with bodyguards from Paragon Laboratories. Levi and Ash were busy relocating their business from Boston to Silicon Valley, but they checked in often, keeping close tabs on the situation at home.

No one wanted to give Li Na Zhao—the Chinese CEO who’d been stalking Lauren’s technology for over a year, and the woman responsible for Wesley’s shooting and my kidnapping, among a multitude of other crimes—another chance to infiltrate our personal or professional lives. We’d tightened our inner circle, tripled our security and were closely watching one another’s backs.

Since Wes had come home from the hospital two weeks ago, Gabe had taken it upon himself to get him up every morning and help him to the bathroom. At six-foot-two and two hundred twenty pounds of pure muscle, my boyfriend was a big guy. Even though he’d lost some muscle mass due to his injury and the ensuing atrophy, it would’ve been impossible for me to help him get around. If I’d tried, I think it would’ve embarrassed Wes—but he and Gabe joked about it; Gabe called it his morning workout.

“Gabe loves Wes—you know that. He’s more than happy to help.” Lauren poured two cups of coffee, one black for Wes and one with extra cream for me. She watched me as I took a sip. “You look like you didn’t sleep that well.”

“I slept great,” I mumbled. “I’m going to make sure Wes is settled, and then I’ll head to the office. Okay?”

“You don’t have to come back to work yet,” Lauren told me for the hundredth time.

“I know, but I want to. I need to feel like things are getting back to normal.”

My big sister nodded, but she looked worried. “Fine, but make sure you have security with you at all times. Come and see me for lunch, okay?”

I grabbed the coffees and made a beeline for my room, before she could scrutinize me further. “Sure.”

“Hannah?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

That stopped me in my tracks, and my eyes filled with annoying tears—just like they did every time she told me she loved me, which was every five minutes these days. “I love you too. Now stop being such a sap, geez! Getting engaged has turned you into an emotional basket case.”

“It’s not because I’m engaged.” Lauren sighed, picking imaginary lint off the fitted navy blazer I’d bought for her. “I’m emotional because I’m so happy you’re back and that you’re safe.”

I put the mugs on the counter, pulling her in for another hug. At my lowest point back in that dirty condo, where they’d kept me in a dark room, I’d often wondered if I’d ever see her again. “Me too. Me too.”

* * *

I paced back and forth at the foot of the bed. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”

“Yes, honey, for the tenth time, I’m going to be fine.” Wes gave me a very patient, and very irresistible, smile. He had one of those smiles that produced two vertical grooves on each of his cheeks; for some reason, I found them mesmerizing. I often traced and retraced those lines, wanting to memorize them with my fingertips.

But this morning, guilt overwhelmed me too much to be distracted by Wes’s handsome face. My shoulders slumped. “But what will you do when you get hungry?”

“Get in the wheelchair, with the help of the nurse, and go get a sandwich. With the help of the nurse.”

I grimaced, knowing he hated the wheelchair. He probably hated having a nurse too, but he never complained. “Speaking of sandwiches—I made you a turkey, bacon, and avocado one, on the ciabatta bread you like from the bakery downtown. It’s in the fridge.”

He beamed. “You’re the best. C’mere.” He patted the bed next to him and took my hand when I got close enough. “I know you’re nervous about leaving me, but don’t be. The nurse will be here, security’s here, and I’m fine. I’m also thrilled that you’re going back to work. I think it’ll be good for you.”

I brightened. “You do?”

“Yeah, I do. I know how much you love your job and your friends at Paragon. You’ve been rattling around the house for the past few weeks, totally focused on taking care of me—you need to get on with your life. I don’t want to hold you back.”

“Wes, don’t be ridiculous! I’ve loved being home with you.”

“It has been sort of awesome. But you know what’s even better?”

“No.”

“Now I get to see you in your sexy work clothes”—his eyes traveled appreciatively down my black dress to my leopard-print heels—“and watch the NFL draft nonstop without you constantly changing the station. Win-win.”

“Ha.” I reached out and stroked his cheek. “I hate to leave you, though.” Suddenly, I found myself near tears for the second time this morning.

He captured my hand underneath his larger one, and I caught a flash of it again—his worry. “I’ll be here when you get home, I promise. But I want you to promise you’ll keep security with you today, even while you’re at the lab.”

I nodded. “I promise.”

Careful to avoid smudging my makeup, Wes kissed the top of my head. “Go get ’em. And have a great day.”

I looked up, my heart suddenly thudding in my chest. “I will. And Wes?”

“Yeah?”

We looked at each other for a beat, my courage faltering. “I—I love you.”

His face split into a grin, showcasing those lines that I also loved. “I love you too. I’m pissed that you said it first, though. I had plans.”

“You did?”

He clasped my hands and squeezed. “Of course I did. I’ve been wanting to tell you for what feels like forever…I just wanted to be at the top of my game when I said it.”

“So you could show off your big muscles while simultaneously declaring yourself?”

He laughed, but it sounded a little strained. “Something like that.”

I leaned forward and kissed his cheek, then carefully wiped my lipstick off his face. “Well, I beat you to it. I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m totally not. Because…I love you.”

“And I love you.” He pulled me closer and deepened the kiss, lipstick be damned.

I felt dizzy by the time he released me. Wes was good at many things, and kissing was at the top of the list. I fanned myself and hopped up. “Woo. Okay. I better go before we violate doctor’s orders.”

Wes groaned. “That doctor’s on my shit list.”

I straightened my dress and winked at him as I headed for the door. “When you’re better, we’ll make up for lost time.”

“I can’t wait,” he growled. “And honey? I love you.”

I grinned at him. “I love you too.”

Wes flashed the smile I loved. “I said it first this time!”

I laughed and blew him a kiss as I left, my heart feeling lighter than it had in weeks.

* * *

I texted the nurse on the way to Paragon, checking in on Wes. I texted her when I got to my desk. I texted her ten minutes later to remind her that Wes liked the special electrolyte-enriched bottled water in the fridge. Then I texted her again to make sure she’d received my text.

Finally, Wesley texted me to tell me to chill out and to please stop driving the nurse crazy. Fine, I texted back, but make sure she gets you the right water, and don’t forget your sandwich!

PS, I love you.

Love you more, he wrote back right away. Hmm. I was going to have to prove him wrong about that.

I ached with missing him, but it felt good to be back in my sunny, cheerful office. When I’d been held captive, another thing I’d wondered about was if I’d ever sit at my desk again… I pushed the thought from my mind and plowed through our most recent sales data, which continued to surpass all projections, and started drafting a much-overdue press release. My office phone buzzed. “Hannah? It’s Stephanie.”

Stephanie was Lauren’s assistant and a close friend of mine at work. She sounded frazzled.

“What’s the matter?”

“I have ten messages already this morning from Fiona Pace. She won’t stop calling—she said she needs an emergency meeting with your sister.”

“What’d Lauren say?”

“She said she’s too busy to take the call and that since her ‘people person’ is finally back, I should direct Ms. Pace to you.”

Typical Lauren—she could solve any insane biotech problem you threw at her, but she couldn’t handle talking to people. “When she calls again, put Fiona through to me. I’ll take care of it.”

“Thanks.” Stephanie sounded relieved.

“I know how she can be—don’t worry about it.” I pulled up Fiona Pace’s profile after I hung up the phone, wondering why she wanted to meet with Lauren. She was the hard-charging CEO of BioTherapeutics, a hot new startup that had the industry buzzing with speculation about its enormous valuation. Reportedly, BioTherapeutics was developing an antibody therapy to help combat certain cancers. I scrolled through the company’s pages, noticing that Fiona had assembled an all-female leadership team—no small feat in male-dominated Silicon Valley.

Previously, Fiona had been the CEO of several Silicon Valley companies. She’d also written a popular self-help book for professional women, which had made her a minor celebrity. BioTherapeutics was her most recent venture. I’d known her for years through SVWBA, the Silicon Valley Women’s Business Association. She was past president of the association, where I’d also volunteered, and I considered her a friend. Still, I had to be on my game with Fiona. When she wanted something, she wanted it now.

But I knew how to handle her, and I was ready when Stephanie patched her through a minute later. “Hey, Fiona. It’s been a long time. How are you?”

“Not good,” she said immediately, sounding unusually rattled. “And I have a bad feeling you’re going to understand why all too well.”

My stomach dropped. “What…what do you mean?”

“I’d rather not talk about it over the phone. Can I come up? Can I meet with you and Lauren right now?”

“You’re here?”

“I’m in the parking lot. I was hoping you could fit me in—it’s important.”

“Hold on—let me text Lauren and see if she’s free.”

I put her on hold and fired off a quick text to Lauren, wondering why in the hell Fiona Pace was sitting in Paragon’s parking lot. Something had to be wrong, very wrong. Fiona’s schedule was jam-packed. I’d tried to schedule a lunch with her two years ago, and we’d had to book it six months ahead of time.

I read the reply from Lauren and got back on the phone with Fiona. “We can see you, but it needs to be quick. Lauren’s due back in the lab in a half hour.”

“That’s fine. I’m coming in now.”

I hustled from my office to Lauren’s. She hadn’t been happy about the unscheduled interruption.

She jumped to her feet when I came in. “What does Fiona Pace want? I’m so busy today. There’s so much catching up to do—”

“I don’t know, but she sounded upset. And Fiona doesn’t do upset.”

“I don’t like it.” Lauren shook her head. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

I nodded, my stomach churning with nerves. “But maybe she’s working on another book and just wants to interview you.”

“I think she would’ve scheduled that ahead of time, don’t you?”

Stephanie buzzed in before I could answer. “Ms. Pace is here.”

“Send her in.”

Fiona Pace came through the doors, wearing a violet-colored sweater and a pencil skirt, her brown bob shining in the sun that streamed through the windows. She would’ve looked fabulous if her face hadn’t been so drawn. “Lauren, thank you for seeing me on such short notice.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Fiona. I enjoyed your book. It seems like BioTherapeutics is doing well—congratulations.”

“Thank you, that means a lot.” Fiona turned and pulled me in for a hug. “Hannah, it’s so good to see you. I’ve been following your story—I was worried sick.”

News of my kidnapping and the shooting at my house had been covered by the local press. Lauren and her attorney, Bethany O’Donnell, had done their best to keep the spotlight off Paragon and its violent entanglement with Jiàn Innovations, but people in the industry still talked.

“We’ve all been praying for you—me, Jim, and the girls—I’m so sorry about what you’ve been through. What a nightmare.”

“Thank you. But I’m fine, and I’m thrilled to be back at work.”

“How’s your boyfriend?”

“Wesley’s doing much better, thank you. He’s home now, and he’s going to start physical therapy soon. He’s expected to make a full recovery.”

Fiona squeezed my hand. “That’s wonderful. I’m so glad.”

We all sat down, and Fiona cleared her throat. “It’s not often I find myself sitting in a parking lot, begging for a meeting.”

“Why don’t you tell us what’s going on?” Lauren asked.

Fiona played with her rings. “Things are going well at BioTherapeutics—very well. We’re getting close with the antibody therapy, and I think it’s going to work. This could be big, a bigger innovation than we’ve seen in biotech in a long time. With the exception of your patch, of course.”

Lauren smiled. “Of course.”

“That’s amazing news,” I said. “So why do you seem upset?”

Fiona raised her gaze to meet mine, and I saw how hollowed-out she looked. “Because Li Na Zhao wants to steal the technology from me. And for the first time in my adult life, I’m scared. Scared, as in totally fucking petrified.”

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