Standing Before Love (Myra and Sean)

Myra glowered at the middle-aged man before her. If she had bristled when he patted her shoulder, then she was now fuming after he had brushed his pinky finger against the back of her hand.

Meanwhile, Thomas seemed unfazed and the smile on his face was warm and polite as he cajoled, “We should finish the rest of the wine, Miss Stark. It’s getting late and we ought to head home soon.”

The others in the private room were oblivious to her anger. Even Tilly was beaming as she moved to clink glasses with everyone, the remaining wine in her glass sloshing as she did so.

Myra’s gaze darkened as grim realization dawned upon her. It had been far too easy for them to secure the project today. Genevieve was supposed to be with them, as well, but she was called away at the very last minute.

Things are not as simple as they seem, Myra thought.

“Miss Stark? Miss Stark?” Thomas called out for her twice and only then did she snap out of her thoughts. She did not know why she felt sleepy all of a sudden. She staggered and he reached out to prevent her from falling. He cried in alarm. “Miss Stark, are you alright?”

A piercing lucidity seized Myra and she took a step back. She wanted to yell at him and ask him what he was doing, but she stumbled backward into Tilly. A thump followed and she turned to see that Tilly had collapsed on the floor after finishing her wine.

have gone to the restroom. I’ll ask them to drop Miss Quinn home safely after

off cautiously. She did not miss the gentle tone of his voice, but for some reason, her skin prickled

to stay awake. She glanced around the room and saw that, at some point, the others had left. She grew defensive and her sense of

the muzzy sensation felt so terrifyingly

been when Eve tricked her into going to the Chase Residence for dinner. She had fallen unconscious

are drunk, Miss Stark. Don’t worry, I’ll make

that, Myra stiffened and her expression grew stormy. Her mind, however, did not seem to clear with

looked over at the half-finished glass of wine on the table and abruptly reached out for it. She summoned all the strength that was left in her and smashed the glass against the edge of the table. Then, she picked up a shard of glass that had fallen close to the tray. Without

Myra’s mind almost instantly. She snapped icily

its patrons. The walls were sound-proofed and she knew no one could hear her from the outside. She had to get out of this room—the club was Elliot’s territory and surely not even Thomas was foolish enough to cause a

rush out the