The Kiss that Sparked it All

Chapter 1930

Ivy squirmed with every ounce of strength left in her, her mind racing back to Balfour. How she regretted lying on the phone! Maybe, just maybe, if she had told the truth, Balfour would have come to her rescue.

Heat washed over her as she struggled, her vision blurring, her head spinning. “This drink…” she muttered under her breath.

“How do you like it? Feeling hot, huh? Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’ll take real good care of you soon enough!” Vincent sneered triumphantly, moving closer with each word.

Ivy stumbled backward, her body feeling like a dead weight.

Who could possibly save her now?

Elsewhere, Balfour had downed a couple of beers back in his buddy’s VIP booth, but he couldn’t shake off a persistent unease. The image of Ivy toasting that sleazy old man played on his mind, stirring up a strange agitation.

His phone buzzed. It was Quinton.

“Mr. Howard, I’ve dug into that mess from the other night. Turns out it’s just as Ivy said. Her sister set her up to sleep with some big-shot investor. Ivy wandered into the wrong room because she was plastered, no one pushed her towards you.”

Balfour remembered the crumpled bills Ivy had thrown at him.

stood, heading

you off to,

over

one,” his friends murmured among themselves.

booth where he had last seen Ivy, his foot crashing against the

BAM!

Ivy’s consciousness slipped away, she thought she saw Balfour’s silhouette.

a desperate hallucination; Balfour wouldn’t know

Don’t touch

start, her scream fading as she sat bolt upright to find herself

light was

to Vincent, his greasy hands and lecherous smile. After drinking that spiked wine, her body had felt on fire, and

clutches of that repulsive man after all?