The Kiss that Sparked it All

Chapter 1930

Ivy squirmed with every ounce of strength left in her, her mind racing back to Balfour. How she regretted lying on the phone! Maybe, just maybe, if she had told the truth, Balfour would have come to her rescue.

Heat washed over her as she struggled, her vision blurring, her head spinning. “This drink…” she muttered under her breath.

“How do you like it? Feeling hot, huh? Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’ll take real good care of you soon enough!” Vincent sneered triumphantly, moving closer with each word.

Ivy stumbled backward, her body feeling like a dead weight.

Who could possibly save her now?

Elsewhere, Balfour had downed a couple of beers back in his buddy’s VIP booth, but he couldn’t shake off a persistent unease. The image of Ivy toasting that sleazy old man played on his mind, stirring up a strange agitation.

His phone buzzed. It was Quinton.

“Mr. Howard, I’ve dug into that mess from the other night. Turns out it’s just as Ivy said. Her sister set her up to sleep with some big-shot investor. Ivy wandered into the wrong room because she was plastered, no one pushed her towards you.”

remembered the crumpled bills Ivy

stood, heading

the hell are you off to, Balfour?” a friend called

threw over his shoulder without

had one,” his

had last seen Ivy, his foot

BAM!

she thought she saw Balfour’s

hallucination; Balfour wouldn’t know to come for

Don’t touch

with a start, her scream fading as she sat bolt

a hotel suite. The bathroom light was on, the sound of running water indicating someone

greasy hands and lecherous smile. After drinking that spiked wine, her body had felt

the clutches of that

made her stomach