Avery slowly slides her hand toward the door handle. The person near her gets closer, and the stench of whiskey becomes overwhelming. It's pitch dark in the room, but the person breathing on her face seems tall and masculine. She wonders what's worse—a random drunk man or the bodyguards in the hallway.
The man seems to step away, and Avery gratefully breathes the fresh air. A dim lamp clicks on in the corner of the room, illuminating Evan. She drops her purse and stares at him in surprise. His eyes are blurred, and his suit is wrinkled, but his face is just as proud and handsome as she remembers.
He rushes toward her and kisses her passionately. His lips are hot and firm against hers, and he forces her mouth open and brushes her tongue with his. She forgets the bloody scene in the stairs and the bodyguards in the hallway. She forgets her own name. She twists her fingers in his hair and pulls him closer to her.
