The Sinner's Bargain (Contracts & Deceptions #2) by Claire Contreras Page A

told me there are files in that account. Files a lot of people want their hands on. I think maybe grandfa…” she cringed and stopped herself from saying the word. “Do you think the sultan lost trust in Philip? And maybe that’s why somebody is out there looking for me to get to that stupid account?” Her words were hushed, having long been warned not to talk about the situation openly. Even in the hospital, her mother was paranoid that somebody could be spying on them.
    “The sultan doesn’t trust anybody,” Anna said, her eyes distant. “I’ve witnessed him order beheadings over missing slippers. I can’t imagine he would trust anybody, not even Philip, with something of this magnitude.”
    “I still don’t understand why my name is on that account. He doesn’t even know me.”
    “No, but he knows me, and that’s enough for him.”
    “What do you have to do with anything?”
    “I’m the only one of his daughters that left Iran. I’m the only one who disobeyed him and got away with it—more than just got away with it—I left with the one person he forbid me to be with. Philip somehow was able to get me some money.”
    “Why would your dad give you money, knowing you were leaving?”
    She reached out to hold Amara’s hand. “Your grandmother talked him into it and I guess he figured it would be best to get rid of me. And now we have this issue. I guess it’s been brewing for as many years as I’ve been gone, but as big as this account is, he had it set up so that it can’t be traced back to him..”
    “Why would he do that?”
    “Because if there is anything at all that could prosecute anybody …it’s in there, and it’s under your name. My daughter. My father knows how to hurt people, Amara. It’s what he’s good at. He knew what he was doing when he set up that account, and he thinks he’s going to burn me when the time comes.”
    Amara blanched. She could feel her veins pumping rapidly inside her body, her heart jittering in her chest. “So basically, I’m completely fucked,” she whispered.
    Her mother offered her a small, careful smile. “No, sweetheart, power can only get you so far, but what’s power without heart? The way I see it, in this case, we have both. We just have to be smart about what we do with it.”

AMARA’S PHONE HAD been chiming non-stop all morning, refusing to let her focus on the things she was supposed to be working on. To make matters worse, she couldn’t keep her eyes off of Colin’s office, unable to shake the memories of the last conversation they’d had in there. She told herself to stop thinking about it, but every time she drifted into a daydream, it was about his breath on her neck, his eyes on her cleavage, or his kisses trailing over her jaw. Amara’s body shivered in remembrance, the arousal between her legs growing with each memory. At the sound of yet another chime, she shook the thoughts out of her head. She needed to focus. When she looked at her phone, she expected to see another reminder on her calendar or another email from the company Colin had asked her to send the latest contract to, but instead, saw his name and unlocked her screen with a frown.
    Colin: Did Lisbeth tell you about tonight’s event?
    Amara: No.
    Colin: I need you to stay late tonight. We have a cocktail hour at 6:30.
    Amara: Here?
    Colin: Yes, one floor down, the space is right next to accounting.
    She sighed, putting the phone back on the desk and looking down at the white shirt she wore tucked into a pink, knee length skirt. It was definitely not something she wanted to wear to a cocktail party. Amara decided to take her lunch hour at home so she could change clothes and freshen up. Maybe it would give her the burst of energy she needed to get her through the day.
    Amara: I’ll be there.
    Colin: I know.
    She rolled her eyes at his response and muttered, “Of course you do,” as she tucked her thick hair behind her ear and focused on answering emails. At noon,