Mia Turner’s face was a mask of livid frustration as she and Blake retreated into the grand hall of the Pacific Crown Gala. After the humiliation George Benedict had dealt them on the red carpet, she felt like a cur who had been kicked in the ribs, desperate for a dark corner to lick her wounds.
"How did she outscent us, Blake?" Mia hissed, her voice a jagged whisper. "She knew the invitation was shredded. She was playing us the entire time, dangling our own arrogance in front of us while she mapped out a better trail."
Blake’s eyes were fixed on my back as I walked several paces ahead of them. "She didn't just find a way in," he muttered, his pride bruising. "She was hunting us. She let us think we were the ones holding the leash so she could lead us right into this trap."
"If she’s de
