Page 30 of A Dangerous Proposal

Alex’s jaw flexed. “Encourage me?”

“Their words, not mine.” He shrugged.

“So, you’re spying on me.”

Liev made a face. “Not really.”

Alex swallowed a vicious curse, and kept a bored look on his face, refusing to give away any indication of his agitation.

“I’m your cousin, Alex.” He lifted his eyes to meet Liev’s serious expression. “I have to follow orders the same as you, but that doesn’t mean I’ll betray you. I prefer a creative reporting approach.” He smiled. “Just throw them a bone. Showing that you’re open to what Mikhail wants doesn’t mean you have to book a caterer.”

Alex reclined in his chair, studying his cousin for a moment before picking up the pen he’d set down.

“Fine. Your first report can be that I’ve met someone.”

Liev abruptly sat up straight from his sprawled position with a comically shocked expression. “What? Who?”

“You don’t need to know details yet.” His lips lifted in a humorless smile. “Give them that tidbit. It should tide them over.”

“Alex—”

“If you’re bored, I have a job for you.”

Liev perked up. “Really?”

“Madison Amherst. She’s a podcaster here in Atlanta. Find out everything you can about her.”

“Madison, huh? Is she the woman?—”

“Anything you find is for my eyes and ears only.” He sent his cousin an icy glare. “Do you understand?”

Not intimidated, Liev laughed. “I hear you. You can trust me,bratan.”

“I also want background on her partner, Camellia Messina, and James Bloom. Any pressure points.”

“Bloom. As in one of Declan’s brothers?”

Alex didn’t bother to answer. The Blooms and Camellia Messina could be an obstacle to his plan. He knew that when he made his move, Madison’s friends would try to talk her out of it. He needed something to make sure they didn’t.

She might not realize it yet, but Madison was going to marry him.

Chapter Nine

The next couple of weeks passed in a blur. Madison and Cami’s coverage of the young college student’s cold case murder—and the killer’s on-tape confession—catapultedMurder She Spoketo the top of the podcast charts the week of Thanksgiving.

By the following Monday, offers from streaming services poured in for the deals they had been working toward for years.

Signing with the highest bidder should have been a simple decision. It meant financial security and more resources to hopefully solve more cases. But it also meant a multi-season commitment, and her attorney had already warned her—Felix’s lawyer would use the attack on Cami against her.

Thank God no one knew she and Jax had been there that day.

Normally, she would talk this through with Cami. But the day after Thanksgiving, her best friend had called, breathless with excitement. James had proposed, and they were getting married in two weeks.

It was fast. Her best friend had only reconnected with her college best friend the previous month, but Madison didn’t doubt it was the right decision. Cami had always loved James, and anyone could see how perfect they were together.

She was happy for her friend. Genuinely.

But she was also jealous. And lonely.

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