untlet of blinding ligh

Franco! O

true the weddi

e you w

led, he guided Kalea with a hand on the small of her back. To the cameras,

his teeth, his lips barel

facial muscles trembled with the effort. She

age Six, stopping briefly. "We're just finalizing th

rter. They were scanning the

llowed h

ral arrangement of white hy

where Kalea's was high-necked and modest, Jennie's was slashed to the hip and plunged deep in the front. It was a deliberate, cal

er heel caught on

is fingers digging into her flesh painf

ered in her ear.

of direct sight of the cameras, Kalea pulled away. She jerked her arm from his gri

wed her. He smoothed the lapel of

ong with yo

Her chest was heavi

, feigning ign

t with a rage so hot it felt cold. "Or I leave. Right now. And you ca

is face. He took a step closer, looming over her. He used his h

our family's stock is tanking. This marriage is the only thing keeping the Alexande

understands me. She makes me feel alive. You? You're a duty. So b

er with a mixture of pity an

y. He walked straight toward the cha

e cold of the stone seeped through the th

ve J

it. Out loud

with Franco. It was a graveyard of unrequited affection. Texts from her saying "Ha

ed two

hit

is pocket, glanced at the screen, and frowned. He looked around,

the "Read" r

etric for her own sanity. When it hit zer

ed a flute of champagne. The doctor had been explicitly clear: No

wave of dizziness washed over her, and she gripped the stem of the flute, her knuckles white, forcing the world to stay upright.

ng, arm in arm with Eleanor. They looked like royalty. Hale

ie Spence was walking straight toward Kalea. Her hips swaye

e flute until she felt the fragi