The executive suite of Vanguard Auctions occupied the entire top floor of a monolithic glass tower in Manhattan’s financial district. For three years, Elena Vance had visited her own headquarters only in secret, slipping through the private underground garage in the dead of night to sign critical do

The Bluebird Café was exactly the kind of place Julian hated, which was exactly why Elena knew he had chosen it.

It was a noisy, cramped coffee shop in Brooklyn, smelling heavily of burnt espresso and stale pastries. It was miles away from the polished, elite circles he was currently trying to inf

The Grand Atrium of the Manhattan Museum of Fine Arts was a sea of glittering crystal, bespoke tuxedos, and haute couture. Champagne flowed from cascading towers, and a string quartet played a lively Vivaldi piece from a raised mahogany balcony. It was the premier event of the autumn social season,