7
Harris’s anger was a tightly coiled thing. He pulled me into his arms, crushing me against him like a long-lost
treasure.
“Mr. Croft, you have the wrong person,” I mumbled into his chest. “My name is Stella. Let me go.”
“Never.” His voice was rough. “Surgery wasn’t enough? You had to change your name, too? Is that how badly you wanted to disappear from my life?” His embrace was so tight I could barely breathe. “Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been for the past five years? I thought you’d been taken again. How long are you going
to punish me?”
“You really have the wrong person.”
“I’d know you even if you were ashes,” he ground out. “Your face might have changed, but your voice hasn’t And that trust… the fact that I’m the only one who can get close to you when you’re like this… that’s a truth you can’t deny. Are you going to keep denying it?”
I pressed my lips together, trying to reason with the man in my dream. “If your intuition was so good, why didn’t you even look at me in the restaurant when I was sitting right next to you? Why did you let your assist.
ant tell me to get lost?”
Harris froze.
” ”
“And just now, in the bar, I was right there. You didn’t see me then either. You let him kick me out. You let him say I was the last person you wanted to see.”
His body went rigid. ”
“1
I steeled myself and forced a cool smile. “So, you see, your intuition is wrong. Now, can you please let me go, Mr. Croft? I just happen to look a little like the person you’re searching for. That’s why my boss dragged me here tonight, hoping I could use my face to win you over.” I laughed, a hollow sound. “Don’t tell me you actually fell for it? Wake up, Mr. Croft. I was just trying to land a deal and get a promotion.”
Harris’s voice was suddenly quiet. “Fine. You’ve got the deal.”
He pulled out his phone and opened his Telegram QR code. “Add me.”
Now it was my turn to be stunned. “What?”
“Add me,” he repeated. “Whatever deal you want, send me the contract.”
My scalp tingled. How was I supposed to scan that? My Telegram name was: HereToSeduce Bro.
I touched my nose, tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear, fidgeting, stalling, doing anything but taking
out my phone.
But from fifteen feet away, Mr. Davies shouted, “Mr. Croft, I have her contact! I’ll send it to you!”
I shot him a death glare. “Don’t you dare!”
Too late.
“Done, Mr. Croft! Sent!”
I lunged for Harris’s phone, but he was too tall. I was five-foot-six; he was a solid six-foot-two. He had alrea dy seen the contact card Mr. Davies had sent him.
He stared at my Telegram name, reading it out loud, word by word.
“Here. To. Seduce. Bro?””
He looked at me, a slow, dangerous smile spreading across his face.
“That’s a wish I’m more than happy to grant.”
