t was a

windows, aggressive and blinding, bur

sound was a croak

in a pillow to escape the assault, but he

shed against

, slippery, impossib

eyes snap

otton. Her sheets

vet to her chest. Her head spun viol

not her a

ireplace sat opposite the bed. Beyond the windows, the green e

arp, pierced throu

d down at

was

be lights. The taste of tequila. The smell of san

room doo

carrying the scent

walk

roplets clung to his chest, tracing the definition

his hair with a

topped b

harlton

heir to the Bernard fortune. Ma

!" Daphne

owered the hand towel

is voice was raspy, deep. "Volu

he covers again, just

you do?" she accused

unbothered by her hysteria. He picked up a

ught it r

rned to face her. "I believe

uncapped the water and downed half of it in one

ng his arms over his bare chest. A small, a

scratch marks on

rned

ne g

his left shoulder blade. They

face burn

f heat. Skin against skin. H

her face in

to her palms. "This is

n the air, foul

cles in his back tensed, just for a s

round, his expre

d. His voice was cold now, stripped of t

crashed back onto her. The ballr

in the chest, hea

She hated herself for

she whispered. "I can't

tightened. He looked away, pulli

g a flash of something that

he said, turning back to her.

he nightstand and p

he news before yo

ws," Daphne said. "I want t

on said. He held th

t. Her hands

tstand. The screen was lit up wit

arlton's screen.

pic 1: Daph

icked

as shaky footage fro

ce exit, rain plastering her hair to her fa

fell to her knees in a puddle, then

ex-ballerina couldn't

ed the phone

spered. "The whole wo

ed. He didn't touch her. He just

he said. "Just the pa

hollow. "ABT won't keep a principal dancer w

wer immediately. He

said, wiping her eyes. "I ne

lton asked. "That yo

was a m

her then. His eyes

ht a mistake

the scratch marks

as drunk. I didn't kn

vanished from his face, replac

id flatly. "Breakfas