“I forgot the portfolio with the contracts.” She slipped her hand into the closing gap of the door. “I’ll get them and meet you downstairs in the business office.” She stepped out and smiled encouragingly at Zach as the door shut, closing her off from him.

Regan gathered the portfolio and one more sip of coffee before racing out the door. She pressed the button for the elevator and stepped in when it arrived.

She hoisted up her bag and the portfolio as the door opened. As she walked from the elevator and into the corridor, a man and a woman exited the other elevator. With her arms full and her bag slipping from her shoulder, Regan lost her balance. She bumped into the couple and dropped the bag and portfolio, scattering papers everywhere. Carlos’s joke of walking through the door and falling on her face ran through her head. Silently she cursed him as she began picking up papers.

“I’m sorry,” Regan said as the woman scurried to help her.

The man only stood looking down at them. “You are clumsy. Come on, Charity, we’re late,” he scolded as the woman rose.

Regan kept her head low. The voice. She knew that voice.

The butterflies that filled her stomach finally broke free from the jar, and now she could feel the shards of glass as they stabbed her from deep inside her. She cautiously looked up to see Alexander Hamilton and his trophy bride stride away. Her heart began to pound uncomfortably in her chest as she sat back on her heels. Instantly her palms grew damp and tears stung her eyes. Every fear she’d ever had surfaced, and her breath caught when she tried to form a plan that would get her out of the hotel.

Regan gathered the papers and ran toward the office. She burst through the door, causing John and Zach to jump from their chairs. She dropped the papers onto the table. Her breath was short and sweat beaded on the back of her neck.

Zach reached for her. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

Regan’s entire body shook, and her heart was pounding so hard in her chest it was painful. Zach’s eyes scanned her but she couldn’t answer. She tried to suck in a breath and calm herself. She just had to get out of the room as calmly as she could, and it would all be okay. Alexander Hamilton didn’t have control over her—not anymore.

“Is this your assistant?” Alexander asked from across the room, tapping his pen on the table. “She’s a wreck. I don’t think we can…” When Regan lifted her head, he stopped. “Oh, God, Regan?”

Regan didn’t move and made sure to keep her eyes from looking right at him. She couldn’t. Every muscle in her body had frozen.

“Regan?” Alexander’s voice softened malevolently as he walked toward her.

She shifted her eyes to Zach, and he met her stare with confusion. She couldn’t do this. “Zach, I have to go.” Regan dropped her bags and the portfolio and swung her purse over her shoulder as she ran for the door.

Zach let the papers and the portfolio Regan had dropped fall to the floor. His investor had scared the hell out of Regan and was chasing her out the door, and Zack intended to put an end to whatever had frightened the woman he loved.

By the time Zach made it into the hallway, Hamilton had grabbed her by the arm. “Regan, don’t run from me.”

“Alexander, leave me alone.” Her words were short and sharp, but muffled under a blanket of fear that Zach didn’t understand.

“You’re alive.” He yanked her toward him. “Damn it, you’re alive.”

“Yes, I’m alive. No thanks to you!” Regan’s face had flushed red with anger.

Zach sprinted toward them with a need to pull her from the grasp of the lunatic that was holding her so tightly she couldn’t move. “Regan, what’s going on?”

Alexander Hamilton didn’t release his stare or his hand from Regan. “Mr. Benson, this has nothing to do with you. Please dismiss yourself.”

“Like hell it doesn’t.” Zach took another step, but Regan pulled herself up straight and glared at Hamilton.

She pulled against him. “Let me go. You have no right to hold me like this.”

“Where do you get off being alive?” he growled. “Your brother told me you died. You and that damn baby!” His words were bitter and hateful.

She wrenched her arm, unable to free herself from his cruel grasp. “Go to hell!”

“Regan, what is he talking about?” Zach inched closer. He wanted to grab the man and throw him against the wall and kill him for causing her pain, but the negotiator in him cautioned him to keep her safe. He noticed John behind him, and was silently thankful for the support. “Is this the man Curtis said put you in the hospital?”

“Zach, go in the office. Please…” She was sobbing now, and Alexander’s eyes grew angrier.

Zach had to keep calm. Had to know what was going on so he could make the right decisions. “Sweetheart, tell me…”

“Sweetheart?” Alexander shifted his eyes to Regan. “Stupid slut. Are you sleeping with your new boss?”

“This has nothing to do with you.” She sobbed harder, and he yanked her closer to him. Zach moved in, but John pulled him back.

Alexander’s jaw jutted up toward Zach. “Mr. Benson, this woman is nothing but trouble. You’d do yourself a favor by firing her right now.” Alexander’s voice didn’t sound the same, Zach realized. The man was almost inhuman with his commands.

“I don’t understand.” Zach made himself relax, then eased from John’s restraining grip. “Regan, tell me what’s going on.”

“Let me.” Alexander had both her arms pinned by his hands. His stare focused on her. “I’ve been under the impression for a year now that this bitch died. Her brother looked me in the eye and told me she and our baby died.”

“Baby, what baby?” Zach pleaded for her to talk to him. His stomach tightened, as did his throat. He didn’t know what was going on, but he knew Regan was suffering.

“Oh, God, Zach, go away.” She sucked in a breath. “Alexander, please…”

“Stupid bitch!” When his hand came up to strike her, Zach moved in. He was at the man, pushing him away from the woman he loved. His fists whaled on him, bloodying his lip and bruising his face as they fell to the floor, fists swinging. Too soon, John pulled Zach from Alexander. He saw Regan run down the hallway for the stairs.