Gwh had just popped a beef meatball into her mouth when her phone rang. Hearing Bill Crawford''s voice on the line startled her so much that she barely noticed the scorching heat of the meatball.


    "Mmmph-"


    Leonie watched as Gwh, despite the burn, managed to spit the meatball out with remarkable poise. She grabbed her ss and took a long gulp of watermelon juice, finally soothing the fiery sting in her mouth.


    On the other end, Bill Crawford only heard what sounded like Gwh choking back a sob, with the din of a busy room in the background.


    "I know things are rough for you right now. Come back, and I''ll still be your strongest support. Gwyn, Greenvale can be as big or as small as you want it to be. Your business, too—it all depends on how you handle it."


    Once Gwh regained herposure, she finally caught what Bill was saying. To her, his words sounded little better than a dog''s incessant barking.


    "Mr. Crawford, would you please stop ttering yourself? Where did you ever get the idea that I can''t survive without you?"


    She''d already blocked over a dozen zombie ounts from her cklist, but this time, Gwh resisted the urge to add Bill again. Instead, she decided to reason with him-though ever since she''d shaken off that inexplicable dependence on Bill, she realized she''d developed a severe allergy to idiocy.


    Bill lounged on his sofa, one arm drapedzily over the backrest, a cloud of smoke swirling around him. His eyes, always holding that hint ofnguid charm, now shone with faint exasperation.


    "It''s no use, Gwh. This world runs on power and desire. If I cklist you from the industry, you won''t find a job anywhere. We-the Crawford family—"


    Before Bill could finish, Leonie snatched the phone from Gwh''s hand.


    "Your precious Crawford family? Please. Gwh''s working at my uncle''spany now. Ever heard of Novastream Solutions? It''s a Hawthorne subsidiary. Try your luck there if you dare."


    On Bill''s end, a trail of ash fluttered to the floor. The ember burned too fast in the breeze and singed his finger.


    "Shit-"


    He cursed, a sh of anger darkening his features.


    The phone went dark—the call had been cut off. Bill didn''t bother calling back.


    Instead, he took a swig from his ss, then hurled it at the wall. The ss shattered into glittering shards.


    No wonder Gwh never came back to him—she''d found herself a better protector.


    The Everhart family-


    He let out a cold, humorlessugh.


    That was a name even his family couldn''t contend with.


    Bill felt a tightness in his chest, so suffocating it nearly stole his breath. In all these years, no woman he''d held in his grasp had ever managed to slip away—except for Gwh, fluttering in front of him like @ butterfly. He admired her, even paused his pursuit for hep sake.


    He hadn''t made a move only because he enjoyed treating Gwh as prey. He''d


    seen all types, and he could tell she was still an innocent when it came to


    romance. If she wanted a pure, starry-eyed love, he''d y along.


    He went at her pace, knowing he had all the time in the world. That''s what


    romance was about-atmosphere, that certain spark. Like a cat toying with a mouse, Bill would call her till three in the morning, talking softly until she drifted to sleep.


    When Gwh wanted to see snow, he''d whisk her away to Switzend by helicopter, just so she could ski beneath the real thing. To Bill, she was the perfect change of pace-no family background to speak of, a pretty face, a taste for romance, and that air of uncertainty clinging to her. A refreshing pte cleanser after too many nights spent basking in the ttery of socialites and starlets.


    He''d grown bored of the endless parade of debutantes and D-list celebrities. With Gwh, he thought he could try something different—a breath of fresh air, a new kind of love.


    Just when he thought he had her in the palm of his hand, Gwh vanished.


    Not that he could really me her.


    He''d just met a sultry little actress, a third-rate starlet with a knockout body and impressive skills in bed. Of course Bill hadn''t resisted the temptation. After a while, though, he tired of her too-and Gwh drifted back into his mind.