Chapter 78

No one in Acreport could rival Howard's power or status. He was the man women were willing to claw their way toward, no matter what it took. And Howard had gone this far for Alyssa. At that moment, Alyssa felt as though she'd triumphed. She'd barely lifted a finger, and Howard was already so bewitched by her. Compared to her, Megan wasn't even worth mentioning. Alyssa looked at Howard. His face remained composed, his eyes settling on Elena as though he were waiting for her response. Alyssa's lips curled in a mocking smile. She was just as eager to see Elena lower her head and yield. On Megan's side, Jimmy was beyond furious. "What's Howard doing?" Jimmy shot to his feet. If Megan hadn't pressed his arm, he might have marched across the hall to confront Howard. "I could overlook him bringing Alyssa, even letting her wave his paddle. I could even convince myself he didn't realize what the tanzanite meant when he let her bid against you. But this crosses the line!" Jimmy's chest r