ROXIE

The photographer’s face went completely white under the gray New York sky. His aggressive attitude disappeared as Marcus Reed’s security men tackled him backward into the bent metal barriers. The sudden show of force shocked everyone on the press line. The shouting journalists went silent for a moment, while their cameras kept clicking rapidly, capturing the raw anger on the CEO’s face.

Garrison didn’t look at the cameras. He kept a firm grip on my wrist, his fingers warm and strong as he pulled me across the last few feet of wet pavement. He pushed me straight through the open side door of the waiting armored Mercedes van.

I...