Page 244 of Bound By Her

Everything was going according to plan.

So why did she feel like it was all unraveling?

Adria’s eyes found Kate again, and a knot formed in her throat. The woman was magnetic, poised, and devastatingly precise in the way she moved.

She was a ghost of something Adria couldn’t quite name.

Either way, she couldn’t look away.

Pulling out her phone, pretending to send a text, she angled the phone so she could take a photo.

This woman says her name is Kate. I want to know how she was invited to my party?

She didn’t have to wait long for X to respond.

X:I’ll look into it and get back to you.

Hurry, I’d like to know before she leaves.

X: Have you spoken to Teo?

Adria had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. It seemed every man in her life believed they knew the next best move—hernext best move.

And for the first time in a long time, Adria wasn’t sure what that was.

Stuffing her phone in her pocket, she moved through the crowd. Finding Teo at the far wall, near a collection of Steven Kasher photos.

“Wonderful party. I am so greatly pleased that you’vehad a change of heart. As is my buyer,” Teo said, tipping his hat in her direction.

“I need assurances that they will not be injured. Not just that. I need to know they will be treated well.”

Teo raised an eyebrow at her candor.

“I assure you, Miss, they will be well cared for.”

Something about his confidence put her more on edge. Everything he and his mysterious buyer were offering was more than she had dared to hope for. Callen’s land would be rendered worthless, and in exchange, she was being handed a new property.

It was a golden ticket. The cost was just…them.

“Thank you,” she said, moving further into the room.

She continued past a group now playing their own games with their submissives on her platforms.

Her phone buzzed.

X: The woman’s name is Elena. She is married to Sota Kings, and she was invited by you.

No, I don’t know her.

The next text was a screenshot of her phone bill. Circled in red was the date of the phone call, time and name, Elena Kings.

Adria’s world shrank in on itself as she recognized the date of Jonathan’s attack.

One of the boys had called Elena that night.

And she didn’t need three guesses to know who.

They say a person goes through five stages of grief. Adria flew through denial and moved right to anger. Marching into the hall, she zeroed her attention on Bryson. He was the ringleader of their little operation. Anything that happened, happened because of him.

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