His pathetic apology and explanation of not being able to control his heart hadn’t helped Sierra’s pride – not one little bit.

The wedding had taken place in only four months, and their father had seemed to think there was nothing amiss with Sandy suddenly marrying Sierra’s boyfriend. When Sierra had made the slightest comment about it being wrong, her father had begun his lecture of how Sierra needed to keep her jealousy of her perfect sister to herself.

Sierra hadn’t dared argue any further. If she honestly thought about it, she’d only wanted to be with Mason to get away from her father, anyway. Surprisingly, her dad had approved of her relationship with his faithful employee.

Sandy had demanded a perfect wedding with her flawless groom, and that’s what she’d gotten – a glamorous event, attended by Hollywood actors, musicians, and the elite of the elite. People wanted to attend the wedding of one of the wealthiest men in the United States. They may be able to get something from him.

“It doesn’t matter,” Sierra said out loud, trying to convince herself. She needed to let the entire thing go. She was lucky to have found out what a creep Mason was so early in their relationship. It could’ve been worse. She could’ve married him, and then been humiliated when he left her for her sister.

Standing as her sister’s maid of honor and holding her ridiculously gaudy bouquet of flowers while Mason swept Sandy into his arms, kissing her in front of everyone couldn’t be humiliation enough for Sierra. Sandy also had to toss her bouquet straight into Sierra’s hands during the reception.

Sierra had smiled as if she was thrilled, but she hadn’t missed the snickers as people behind her made comments about her never using the flowers since she couldn’t keep a man long enough to get him to walk her down the aisle. When she heard the woman add that at least she didn’t have any other sister’s to steal her man, Sierra was done.

Mason worked for her father, and marrying either Sierra or Sandy pretty much sealed the deal of him becoming the corporation’s next CEO. He’d moved his way toward the top, and when he’d hit the mother-load by marrying the owner’s daughter, he got it all. He would’ve settled for Sierra, but why settle when he could have Sandy, everyone’s choice of the better of the two siblings.

Sierra finally made it to her room and swiped the key card across the reader, grateful when it registered on the first try. She stepped inside and tightly closed the door behind her. All she wanted was freedom, and maybe, just maybe, that’s what she’d finally get. Besides, she didn’t want to get married. Why place herself in a position where a man had control of her again. If she ever escaped her nightmare, she vowed to stay single the rest of her life.

She glanced at the clock, noting that it was just past midnight. Sandy and Mason were well on their way to Europe by now. Sierra felt more of a pang over her sister getting to visit one of the country’s she’d always wanted to go to, than over the loss of Mason.

With a sigh, Sierra unzipped the uncomfortable dress, letting it fall to the ground in a sea of satin. She kicked it away from her, knowing she wouldn’t take it from the hotel. She had no desire to wear it again. Let one of the maids find it. They’d appreciate the expensive dress more than she ever would.

Sierra didn’t need any more reminders of her sister’s wedding. She’d have plenty of daily reminders as she watched her happily married sister in the arms of her ex-boyfriend.

She took out the hundreds of pins from her up-do, a feeling of bliss overcoming her as the tight curtain of hair fell loosely around her shoulders. Her head ached, along with the soles of her feet.

She jumped into the shower and massaged her scalp, dreading the next day. Her father wanted to speak to her. She had no clue what it was about, but he’d been so formal, it couldn’t be good.

Sierra managed to make her way back into the bedroom of her roomy suite, where she collapsed face-first onto the comfortable bed, and vowed not to get up until her body woke her. She knew the wrath of her father wasn’t worth an extra hour or two of rest, but she just couldn’t convince her physically and emotionally exhausted body of that.

Chapter Two

One week earlier

Damien set the papers down on his desk and sat back. He was perplexed – intrigued but perplexed.

When he’d received the phone call yesterday, he’d thought it was a joke. A father couldn’t truly be serious – offering his child in exchange for money. Though, as Damien went through the files on Sierra Monroe, he was beginning to realize that her father, Douglas was more than serious.

The man was willing to trade his daughter for cash. Normally, Damien wouldn’t give the scum of a man the time of day. His time was too valuable to waste, and he didn’t make poor business decisions.

However, he was curious – a tremendously bad thing. What was in it for Sierra? Was she going along with her father? How far was she willing to go?

He looked at her photograph, picking it up from his desk for at least the twentieth time. She was attractive – more than attractive, for that matter.

Her long dark hair was pinned back in the photo, and her dark brown, almost black eyes, were solemn as if she had secrets she was trying to hide from the world.

Her nose had the slightest bend to it as if it was broken at one time, but had healed nicely, giving her face an almost softer look. Her beauty was rounded off by her high cheekbones, and the oval shape to her face.

He hadn’t been intrigued in a long time over a woman, but Sierra Monroe had his undivided attention.

He’d placed a post a week ago, needing a new public relations representative. It was placed in extremely select listings as he didn’t want, nor need, the general public to apply. He wanted only the best.

The call from Douglas Monroe hadn’t been the call he’d been expecting. With irritation, he lifted his phone and dialed the man’s direct line.

“Douglas Monroe.”

“This is Damien Whitfield. I’ve thought about your offer, and I’ve decided to accept.” Damien felt no need to offer anything else.

“That’s great, Damien. Why don’t you come by my home tomorrow and we can sign the papers,” Douglas replied, excitement rushing over the line.

Damien was even more disgusted.

“It’s Mr. Whitfield, and I have conditions,” Damien warned, to which there was a long pause on the other end of the line.

“What would those be?” the man finally asked, not responding to the scolding of the man being too familiar with his name.

“Is your daughter aware of our…deal?”

“I’ve told her that it’s time she gets a job. She’s had it too easy for too long. It’s time she stops living off of me and learns how to make it in the real world,” Douglas said, evading the question.

She was a spoiled heiress, then. Damien should just let it go and move on, but for some reason he couldn’t. Well, he had a couple reasons. One of which was the people Sierra knew, the other, well, the other he still hadn’t figured out.

“Is she going to give me trouble?”

“Not at all, Mr. Whitfield. My daughter has been taught to behave,” Douglas said with an evil laugh.

A shudder rippled down Damien’s spine. He wasn’t even in the room with Douglas, but the man oozed filth. People like him would eventually fail. That’s why Damien was confident in his plans to finally keep his promise to his mother.

His supposed family was just like Douglas Monroe, full of greed and not afraid to walk on people to get what they wanted. They’d fail as well.

“Fine, I’ll meet you at your place, but not until next week. My attorney will have the paperwork ready.” Damien hung up the phone without saying anything further.

The less he talked to the slime ball, the more he’d be able to stomach making a deal with the devil.

Pushing those thoughts from his mind, he picked up the second stack of paperwork on his desk, this time a genuine smile popping out on his face. It was time. Finally, he had what he needed to start his takeover of the men who’d killed his parents.

It was long past time.

Damien’s lips turned up in what would look like a smile to the rest of the world. It may have even been a smile – or at least as much of one as he was capable of giving. He watched Sierra wearily stumble away.

Since making the deal with her father, he’d studied up on her, making sure he wanted to hire the spoiled heiress. The more he learned, the more intrigued he became. He was suddenly impatient to close the deal.

He thought about going after her, but he wasn’t an impulsive man, or at least with most people he wasn’t. His lips softened as he thought of his one and only friend, Trinity. His only impulsive act, ever, had been to offer to marry her.

He would’ve, too, had she said yes. Luckily, Drew, the baby’s father, had come back into her life, and not only wanted to do the right thing, but Drew was deeply in love with Trinity.

Damien didn’t believe in happily-ever-after love, but it was hard to deny that Trinity and Drew were, indeed, in love. The way they looked at each other was almost disturbing.

He shook off thoughts of Trinity. He couldn’t carry out his plans if he thought of his best friend. She’d kill him if she knew what he was up to. He’d never spoken of his past with anyone, not even Trinity. He hardened his resolve. He’d made a promise to his mother – a promise he intended to keep. He’d made that vow before Trinity found him so many years earlier, before she rescued him from the dark bitterness of his life.

Damien’s eyes snapped back to Sierra as she walked away from the reception. She was just another piece of the puzzle to the grand design of his life, to the purpose he’d practically been made for. He could succeed without her, but why should he. He liked what he saw, and with such an appealing package up for grabs, he figured, why not?

She had a natural grace and beauty about her that could easily reel a man in. He wasn’t worried about getting too attached. He wasn’t interested in love. He’d been there, done that. He should’ve just listened to his mother, and never tried any road but the one that led to his parent’s vindication.

His so-called family would pay. They’d pay big.

Sierra was almost meaningless – almost. She just happened to have a best friend who was a part of the family he was close to taking over. With her father so easily trading his daughter, who was he to refuse?

The meeting with her father hadn’t been pleasant. The man was the lowest kind of scum, but Damien figured he was doing Sierra a favor getting her out of there, not that she seemed to be in a hurry, from everything he’d learned so far.

Damien’s mind drifted as he thought about his conversation with Douglas Monroe:

“Thank you for meeting with me, Mr. Whitfield?” Douglas said, obviously pleased at having Damien in his office. The man was practically salivating as he waited for Damien to sign on the dotted line.

Damien was silent as he towered over the guy. He wasn’t there to make friends with Douglas. He was there for a business transaction. Damien had done his research. He knew Douglas was in deep enough trouble that he needed the deal they were making.