She’d been innocent when she’d gone to Elijah’s house. A woman with her master’s and several other degrees and a good background in her chosen field, but still, she’d been innocent. In one night, everything had been ripped from her. Every single thing, including her self-esteem. “Who are you?” she whispered. “Because I don’t know anymore.”

She lifted her chin and went to the security desk. “I don’t have an appointment with Mr. Bannaconni, but please call up to his office and tell him Siena Arnotto is here and it’s an emergency. I really, really need to see him. Immediately.”

That was the best she could do. The security guard at the desk looked at his consoles, into each screen as though she might be a terrorist bent on Bannaconni’s destruction, then at her, the door, and lifted the phone, speaking into it briefly. When he put it down, she honestly couldn’t tell if she’d been granted an audience or not. The one thing she did know was that Jake Bannaconni was in his office.

Her leopard suddenly reacted, going on alert. She turned her head and saw two men in dark suits closing in on her. She waited.

“Come with us.” One of the men motioned her toward the elevator.

She went with them, taking shallow breaths. Every single step seemed to jar her injured ribs. Her ribs really, really needed attention. She had bruises and knew they were still visible in spite of her makeup, because both men scrutinized her face carefully and she could see the look they exchanged. These men were not happy, and they would never believe the boxing story.

In spite of the fact that she couldn’t hide the beating she’d taken, she had dressed carefully for the occasion, her best dove gray suit, the one that made her look all business in spite of her age. Short jacket with a series of ruffles from waist to the middle of her bottom, flowing over her matching skirt with her soft pink shell. She loved that shell because she could match it to her favorite high heels, the ones that made her legs look long when they really weren’t. She had put her hair up in a thick intricate braid that wound in a figure eight at the back of her head. She had armor, and right now she really needed it.