The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Percival tightened his embrace, resting his forehead just above Vivienne’s brows, whispering tenderly, “Looking at my Vivienne.”

My Vivienne.

Few words in the world could send Vivienne’s heart fluttering quite like those.

She felt as if she had plunged into a pool of spring water, her entire being drenched in its soothing embrace.

Their gazes locked, neither willing to take a step closer.

In their eyes, there was only each other, each deeply etching the other’s features into their memory.

They tugged at each other, eyes speaking volumes.

Creak…

The lab door swung open, and Karen marched in, dragging Rex by the ear, the awkwardness in the room thick enough to cut with a knife.

Karen was the first to snap out of it. “Carry on, lovebirds. I’ve got a bone to pick with this good-for-nothing apprentice!”

Vivienne watched as Karen pulled Rex aside and, with a swift kick, sent him sprawling.

Meanwhile, she and Percival were still wrapped up in each other, fingers interlocked.

“Boss, your daughter’s over here making goo-goo eyes, and you’re not saying a peep? She’s underage and being seduced by an older man—aren’t you gonna do something about it?”

Rex’s outburst was swiftly silenced by Karen’s expert move.

“If you don’t spill the beans on all those toxins you’ve been cooking up over the years, you might as well forget about talking ever again.”

Karen had zero tolerance for her underlings causing trouble.

If she had known Rex was actually Brody, she would have cut him down long ago!

Vivienne pursed her lips, conceding that when it came to inner strength, her mom was unbeatable.

“Old man, gonna let go, or do you want to play a live show?” Vivienne teased, pulling away with a mischievous wink.

Percival let go, touched his nose awkwardly, and stepped forward, handing Karen a stun baton. “Master, this might come in handy.”

of Brody’s, could discharge a burst of high voltage at the push of

a twirl. “Not bad

a look of utter

Alright, he got it.

flock together—Karen was shamelessly cunning, Percival was sly and ruthless, and

of revenge, Percival, with Vivienne in

the way, Vivienne relayed the events that had unfolded at Mara’s house to Percival, “Looks like they’re targeting the Miller family again,

Percival heard was: “Something, something… Aaron saw me today,

“Alright, I got it.”

paused, “Got

“Thomas called me earlier and said Gillian has already

quick? What position?” Vivienne

on par with Vance, appointed as the new Secretary-General. Officially, she’s there to learn, but reality is

Vanguard Agency

that the agents of Rivenwood’s Vanguard Agency were Percival’s people. Even with him gone, their loyalties

Rivenwood from becoming entirely Percival’s domain, a new

all the agents, they had to send

Rivenwood was not for Percival to rule

with brains like Leopold—that’s the bare minimum,

like someone’s

laughed. “Who can discern the main office’s

the Vanguard Agency, Vance called a

As the

up—never had he seen

with the understanding of Thomas’ inner

focus on your job and show

begrudgingly acknowledged. “Will

wave of his hand, Vance

deeply, pondering

recommended her—Gillian

her

assets of the once-mighty Boyd family, an ancient warrior lineage. Now, with Patrick Ashford locked up, Gillian Ashford had

believe she had no

who was backing

and to place Gillian safely within the Vanguard Agency, this person’s

he bumped into Gillian, who was

Thomas,” Gillian said with a smile,