an

owly, pitying his foolishness. Did he really think I would

our maid and live under your feet." I scoffed,

ise flickering across his face. Was he

ain. "Not only are you a whore, but now

d with rage. "I am not a whore. Let me g

felt like shards of glass tearing thr

he way you're used to-by spreading your legs for men. You have u

nger bubbling over. "The court gave me two weeks

to give him the satisfaction of seeing

smile as I glanced back at him. "I'll make sure to sleep wi

ory through me. Without waiting for his response, I walked out of Rowan

-

, frustration ripp

s my legs gave out beneath me, and I co

searching-begging-for even the smallest job. Anything. J

r had been sh

knew

Reyn

ried weight-power,

oud to a fault. They didn't associate with people beneath their

somehow caught R

mother never le

iation. Their constant rem

uldn't give R

the fin

ainfully as anger su

nymore. The man I once knew-the man who

someone cold... cru

augh that quickly di

proper jobs. No CV. No

that had already fallen apart before it

ad spin. I stumbled toward a shaded corner of the park,

dy ga

s, my eyes squeezing shut as a

t eaten

y w

me by the same man who

shallow, my thoughts

temples, soaking int

cr

my

ild growin

ed to be... and the

million d

endlessly in my he

I whispered brokenly. "Where am I s

this time, raw and unrestrai

felt like forever-lost, brok

nly two path

at

pri

er offere

. Ge

voice cut thro

t, a sharp kick lan

ot thro

ritation flaring as I forced my eye

ing my side,

fr

stood

Impo

k jeans outlining long, powerful legs, a navy-blue turtleneck hugging his f

d by stacked bracelets. His fingers were adorned with r

nce screa

we

nt

His beard was neatly groomed, framing sharp features-long j

.. brea

rousl

d whispered in s

ng else faded-my pain,

rtbeat seem

no words came out. My to

het

them. With a slow, deliberate movement, he slid both hands

unsettling about h

deta

s voice smooth but cold. "We don't know

d onto mine-sh

aged to ask weakly, confu

ly, almost as i

he

around me se

His voice dropped, d

get m