Mia beat the sun to rise first the next morning. She almost felt renewed. Maybe she would give Edward a chance to explain, but not before she took matters into her own hands. Steven was right. They needed to fight until the end. Edward would have to rip MWSA Cosmetics out from under her. It was her company, and she wasn’t lying down for anyone. When she finished getting ready for the day, she grabbed her book bag and headed out to the coffee shop for a quick breakfast. Even though it was Sunday, she was going to make the day count. Some research at the library, some work to save her company, and maybe that manicure she wanted to get.

She spent most of her morning in the library looking at law books, what her rights were, and what her options were. When she felt like she had enough to go on, she texted Steven and told him to meet up with her so they could share ideas and make a plan.

Walking down the two flights of stairs, she stopped when a slight fear touched something deep within her. She stopped midflight and looked around. Being a Sunday morning, there weren’t a lot of people out and about, let alone in the library. She felt a cold chill run across her, and she tightened her grip on her bag. She picked up her pace and didn’t stop until she had pushed the heavy front door open, giving way to sunlight that felt warm on her face.

She descended the front stairs, looking back at the doors as they closed. When no one came out, she shook her head and snickered. So paranoid.

She threw her bag on her shoulder and walked across the street, pulling her phone out and checking her messages. As she rounded the corner, she almost ran into someone walking toward her.

“Oh!” She stopped quick, her bag falling to the ground. “I’m so sorry.” She bent down and picked up her bag, but when she stood up and looked at the man, she froze.

“No, I’m sorry. I should have been looking where I was going.”

Mia nodded and tried to walk around him. Jack was the last person, besides Edward, that she wanted to see.

“Are you okay?” he asked, putting his hand around her arm.

She looked down at his grip and tried to pull away from him. “Yes, I’m fine. If you’ll excuse me.”

“I’m sorry, can I say something?” His voice was kind and inviting, something she hadn’t heard from him in any of their previous interactions.

“What is it?”

“I wanted to apologize for the way my brother treated you the other night.”

“Excuse me?”

“It was completely uncalled for, and to be honest, out of character for him. I thought he genuinely loved you. When he lost it the other night, I’m glad I was there to control the situation.”

“You were there?”

“I was. I believe it was shortly after you’d left him.”

“He told you about me?”

“Of course. We might not always see eye-to-eye on a lot of things. We may even fight like brothers.” He smiled at his pathetic attempt at a joke. “Honestly, he tells me everything.”

“Oh.” She felt almost betrayed. She thought what they had was a connection only between them, a secret. “I wasn’t aware. Anyway, thank you. I really have to get going.” She tried once again to walk around him, but he stepped in front of her.

“Where’s the fire? I’m trying to talk to you.” There was the anger she remembered. It began to touch the surface again, and she knew it was only a matter of time.

“I think I have a few minutes.” Her heart started to work a little harder.

He linked his arm in hers and walked with her at a slower pace. “You know, I’m glad I ran into you today. I’ve been thinking a lot about you and your situation.”

“My situation?”

“Yes. It would be so devastating for you if you lost your precious little company. I can only imagine how hard you must’ve worked to build it up to what it is today.” His sarcasm formed a thick coat on his words. “I want to help you, Mia.”

She felt a sick feeling in her stomach. “That’s so kind of you, but I think we’ll be okay.”

“No!” he spat, making her jump. “You won’t be okay.” He petted her arm like a dog. “I already know you’re on the verge of losing the company. I know you’re scrambling and doing everything you can to save it.”

They rounded the corner, and even though she was trying to lead him closer to the café where she was supposed to meet Steven, he pulled her in the opposite direction. “I want to help you, Mia. Unlike my brother, Edward.”

His name even caused a stir within her. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Edward was only out for blood. His only agenda was to fatten his own bank account, no matter who he hurt or who got in his way.”

“I can’t believe he would do something like that.”

“No one can. Even Daddy had a hard time with him. He had the gift of gab, believe me. He could sell ice to an Icelandic community with the lies he told. That’s how he ended up with Donovan Technologies.” He stopped her on the street and turned toward her. “Luckily, I was able to talk some sense into him.”

“What did you do? I mean, what happened?”

“I got him to sign it over to me, so it can be handled properly.”

“It?” She felt her heart racing.

“Donovan Technologies,” he said as if she should have already known. She looked at him, confused. “He didn’t tell you? It must have slipped his mind. Yeah, I guess he decided it would be in the company’s best interest to give it to me after all.”

“You’re lying.”

“I have the documents to prove it. As soon as they’re filed, the company is mine. I can finally follow through on what my father started. Now that I’m in control, I want to start fresh with our fellow clients, starting with you.”

He stepped toward her, his touch grazing her cheekbone, making her feel more uncomfortable. She couldn’t argue with him. He was too unstable for that. She didn’t know if she could get away from him, and she didn’t dare rely on the public of Manhattan to help her. “What did you have in mind?” Maybe if she played along, she could make him think she was interested long enough to get away from him.

He wrapped his hand around her arm and pulled her into a nearby alley, deep enough to get her off the street and away from any onlookers. “Relinquish your company to me,” he growled. “I’ll have complete control to build it back up again without having to go through all the red tape.” He pushed her against the wall and pressed his body into hers. “Let me save you, Mia.” His breath was hot against the side of her face.

She felt like she was going to vomit. “I need some space. I can’t think.”

“You don’t have to think anymore. Let me do all of that for you.” He kissed her neck and pushed his groin into hers, letting her know that his control over her turned him on.

She remembered her resolve in the tub the night before. She was determined then. This was a test on whether she could follow through.

With force she didn’t know she had, she flattened her palms against his chest and shoved him backward. “No!” She watched him stumble backward, catching himself from falling to the ground. Her anger quickly surfaced, and she felt empowered. “I don’t want your help, or your brother’s, for that matter. Why can’t you all just leave me alone! I’ll save my company on my own!”

She walked toward the street, but he grabbed her by the hair and pulled her back in further. He dragged her deeper into the alley and slammed her against the wall. “You will relinquish your company to me immediately, or I will destroy you.” The heat of his breath was back, but somehow it had intensified to a burning sensation against her skin. “I didn’t want to go this route, but you had to be a bitch. You women are so difficult to work with.”

“You’ll have to destroy me, then. I won’t give my company to you. Just like I don’t believe Edward gave DT to you.”

Jack was growing angrier. She saw it on his face. She should have been afraid, but for some reason, she wasn’t, and she didn’t let up. “I know all about you and how you tried to take DT away from Edward. He never would’ve handed it over to you.”

“Well, I’ll admit I had to do a little coaxing, but after the evening was over, the paperwork was signed, and now it’s rightfully mine. It was quite easy to take, actually. Much like it would be easy to take Emily from you.” He leaned back and raised an eyebrow.

Mia felt like her heart stopped.

His grin told her he’d noticed that stumble. “You didn’t think I knew, did you?”

“What—what are you talking about?”

“Our daughter.”

“Oh, God.” She trembled.

“Yeah. She must be getting so big by now. Tell me, does she look more like you, or does she have my eyes?”

“You son of a bitch.” She swung at him, but he caught her arm, swung her around, and pulled it up behind her back. “Ah!” Her shoulder stretched and burned as he slammed her chest into the wall.

“What were you saying?” He pressed himself into her, crushing her between him and the wall.

“Don’t you touch her. I’ll kill you.”

“I don’t think you’ll do any such thing. I do think you’ll try a little harder to work with me on the things that I think should take place from this point on. Right?” He pushed into her, jabbing his fist into her lower back.

She grunted, feeling the pain from his knuckles.

“You can imagine my surprise as I was researching DT’s stockholders and your company. Some confusion arose between myself and my father as to why you were trying so hard to acquire more of our stock. My father assumed it was merely because your quaint little company was beginning to fail, and you wanted a secure future with a company that wasn’t.” He leaned in very close to her, his lips brushing across her ear. “I didn’t buy it.”

He reached up and toyed with a strand of her hair. “So, I dug a little further. Well, after quite a large investment with a private investigator, I found out exactly why you wanted such a big piece of our company. When I finally realized you were interested because of our deep-seated connection, I was floored. I knew it was destiny that we be together. So, what do you think? Want to join forces and work for me?”

“I will never work with you,” she seethed, struggling to get away from him. The hold he had on her kept her off balance.

“You will. Did I mention that I always get my way? Ask Edward. He can tell you. Sometimes a little manipulation needs to be used to help the situation along, but I always get my way in the end.”

“Let me go, Jack.”

“I wouldn’t want you to lose everything. You’ve worked so hard to get to where you are. Giving Emily such a bright future. I bet she’s growing up to be a lovely young woman.”

“Stay away from her!”

“I have every right to see her. She is my daughter, isn’t she, Mia?”

She felt sick to her stomach.

“Unless you cooperate, I’ll take your company, and Emily too.”

“I think you should let her go if you know what’s good for you.” Steven rushed toward them, his fists balled up tight.

“Steven!” Mia struggled again, and this time Jack let her go.

“Hey, man. We were just having a little business meeting. Nothing you need to get involved in.”

“I’m already involved.” Without warning, Steven reached up and punched Jack in the face, knocking him to the ground. “Come on.” He offered Mia his hand, not waiting for Jack to get up.

Mia put her hand in his, and they ran out of the alleyway.

“Where the hell did you come from?”

“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

“Not too bad.” She rubbed her arm and looked back toward the alleyway before they rounded the corner. “How did you know where to find me?”

“I tracked your phone. Remember when you gave me the passcodes before your trip to Italy last year? I never got rid of them.”

“I could kiss you right now. Thank you, Steven.”

“Come on. Let’s get out of here.”