Chapter 2

Hunter looked at me like I was pathetic. "Adrian Frost? You made that up just to get under my skin? A guy like Frost eats people alive. You think he's going to marry you? Grow up."

Before I could say anything, Sienna pressed a hand to her forehead and sagged into him. "Hunter... I'm dizzy. It's probably from that slap Clara gave me yesterday. I still feel sick..."

He glared at me. "If she has lasting damage from this, I'm coming after you."

Then he walked her out, one arm around her, without looking back at the woman who'd just been in a car accident.

Watching them go, all I felt was relief. Like taking out the trash.

...

A week later. Charity auction at The Peninsula.

I sat in the VIP section in a black gown. The concussion had cleared. The memories hadn't come back.

The doors opened and Hunter walked in with Sienna, making sure everyone saw them.

The whispering started immediately. "I heard Clara lost her memory. And she still showed up chasing after him? God, that's sad."

He crossed the room to me and didn't bother lowering his voice.

"Since you followed me here, show me you mean it. Win Sienna the piece she wants and I'll think about forgiving you."

I took a sip of champagne and didn't look at him.

For the next hour Sienna bid on everything in sight like she'd never had money before. Fifteen lots. I watched without saying a word.

Then the final piece came up under the lights.

A vintage watch with a blue dial, registered under Frost Global. I'd locked it in before the crash. It was supposed to be my wedding gift to Adrian.

"Three million dollars. Sold."

A staff member brought the black velvet box to my seat. I reached for it — and another hand shot in and took it.

"Antique watch as an apology gift? Finally getting it." Hunter opened the box himself, put the watch on in front of everyone, and turned his wrist. "Good taste. I'll keep it."

I stood up slowly and looked past him at my attorney and my head of security.

"Mr. Hayes." My voice carried across the whole room. "Hunter took my personal property without permission. Please contact NYPD. File it as grand larceny."

The room erupted. The smug look slid right off his face.

Sienna jumped in immediately. "Clara, it's a watch. Weren't you going to give it to Hunter anyway? Why are you making this into something?"

"Making it into something?" I dropped a stack of invoices in front of her. "Aren't you the one who's always talking about being independent? These are the fifteen lots you bid on tonight. Eight point seven million. Go ahead and put it on your card."

She looked at the number and went white.

Hunter felt the humiliation land and raised his hand. "You crazy—"

He never got close. My security had his arm behind his back before he moved a foot. He grunted.

I held his eyes. "Touch me again and when the market opens tomorrow, Blake Group gets formal notice that the Whitmore family is pulling every dollar."

His jaw locked. "Pull out? You don't have it in you. You spent a year planning that wedding. Without me you don't even have a groom."

The sheer arrogance actually made me laugh. And not for the first time I wondered what exactly had been wrong with me before the crash, that I'd fallen for someone this stupid.

"Okay," I said. "Let's find out."