"You are a difficult woman to meet."
Serena's posture stiffened as her eyes looked up at the woman who had just placed a bag casually on the table where she was having her coffee. Slowly, she glanced up, meeting Serena's gaze with a bold and challenging look. Recognition flickered almost instantly, sharp and undeniable. Samantha.
This was Samantha—Aiden's business partner. And the woman who had been by his side that night when she'd been attacked and Sidney had told her about Corrick.
Even now, the memory was a vivid burn in Serena's mind, tinged with an unexpected, irrational jealousy. She'd felt it then and she felt it again now. She remembered the way Aiden had mentioned her so casually, almost dismissively. He had said he would be bringing someone along to make things more believable for Sidney. At the time, Serena had assumed it would be a hired actress or a professional associate—a stranger there only to play a role. But no.
