le tear burned Christ

her wrists. He took a massive step backward, his chest heaving as he

pulling her knees to her chest, gasping for breath. She lifted a shaking hand and wiped the blood

lent. Only the sound of their r

placed by a thick, impenetrable wall of ice. He forced his posture straight, p

. His voice was comple

move. She just

your father. Here is my offer. You spend tonight with me. Tomorrow morning, you sig

. "Marriage?" she whispered, her voice cracking. "Why? I

ut this time his touch was clinical. "Don't flatter yourself. A wife is a useful t

straight. He pulled back his cuff

coldly. "If you say no, I walk out that do

tting an anvil. Eloise stared at the floor. Her father's pale face fl

r stomach twisted so hard

closed her eyes. "Yes," she whispe

er hit him-anger that she would sell herself so

one arm behind her knees and the other aro

. Her hands instinctively flew up, grippin

staircase. He didn't bother turning on the l

into the soft blankets. Before she could push herself up, Christian was o

se, tossing it onto the rug. His eyes were pitch b

ating tears leaked from the corners of her eyes, soaking into her pi

rough thumb brushing against her cheek, wiping the wetness away. The

low whisper. "If you're going to treat

n. She opened her eyes and met his intense gaze. Her

sh her. His lips brushed against hers with a suffocating, he

s fingers brushed against her bare stomach. The contrast of his ho

ts. She stopped fighting. She let herself sink into the

ows across the bed. In the quiet darkness, Christian took the woman he had wanted for ten years, using the o