nt door opening echo

a f

e page of for the past ten minutes. The quiet mansion had become familiar over the last two

as h

ers tightening around the edg

You are Amara Kingsl

oached, steady

nic Hale

oked

arp lines of his face softened by exhaustion. But even like that,

fted-and la

omething unreadable f

he sm

ill awake,

wed. "I was

cket aside. "I didn't exp

ng," she lied quickly.

sing the tension beneath her words. Then he

und much," he said calm

a replied softly

d. At leas

st because they got married. Their lives

take care of

Grant was v

in approva

ilence fell

e felt-how strange it was to stand in front of a man

broke th

th me,"

or half a secon

to lag behind or walk ahead. She noticed small details-the faint scent of his cologn

e large balcony ov

ailing and exhaled slowly. "

l a lot?"

at's why this place matters. It's

d. "It's

d, "but it's

d surpr

him, really

Hale didn't look like a bi

carried too much respon

ange that," he continued, his v

chest t

ou," he said. "I know t

eath c

...

see it. The wedding. Your silence. The way you

uldn't

"we'll do this slo

at if she spoke, her

u," she w

d her. "Come. Y

-

lt different w

al

rm

dange

watch and placed it neatly on the table. The silenc

he couch," Domin

ened. "You d

gently. "Not until

d, then nodd

door, then paused.

ght... D

osed softly

the bed, her

, she thought

ade everyt

-

pas

evenings. Quiet dinners together when he was home.

noticed

d how she li

when she sk

iste

ate dinner together

ugh much," he

d up. "Do

ied. "I just

d. "Maybe I

. "Then we'll hav

art sk

lone in the bathroom, st

face-the face

this last?"