ine when Francesca's Uber pulled into the under

xhaustion of pulling an all-nighter, but h

rd the private elevator, the heel of her shoe

iolently outward wi

ongue so hard she tasted copper. She stumbled forward, catching herself

dragged her injured right foot, limpin

. The doors slid open

esca

sk of dark, brewing violence. He looked like he hadn't slept; his s

ed from her face and l

oversized, plaid flannel s

racted into tiny, d

ping like a steel vice around her wrist. He yank

p!" Frances

sudden movement. Her leg gave out, and

spun her around and slammed her back ag

Leo?" Emery snarled, his face inches from hers. The smell

er ribs. The sheer hypocrisy of his

azing with defiance. "You spent your night pining over y

st loosened for a fraction of a second-just long enough for F

to something darker. "You don't

t-up fury. "I saw you give her your jacket. I saw you look at her like she was the only woman in the wor

ong, tense moment, he just st

ead and crashed his

a savage intensity, his teeth scraping against her bottom lip until she tasted bloo

s up, pushing frantically against his ha

e, she put her full we

ream tore from her th

roze in

away, his chest heav

he size of a tennis ball, the skin turning an ug

om Emery's eyes, replaced in

t his knees and scoope

ca shouted, hitting hi

t worse," Emery barked, tho

her down on the leather sofa with an agonizin

ne from his pocket and dialed

ared at her swollen ankle, his large hands hovering over the bruised skin, tr

ak etched into his features made her breath catch. For a se

ting on the glass c

ringtone echoed thr

flashed across the s

mid-air. His head sna

ked back at Francesca, who was bi

tched for two ag

ade in his eyes-the split second where he weig

e quiet and cold. "Don't yo

stoo

and swiped to answer. He turned his back to Fran

s voice was tight, serious. He listened for

and shoved the pho

for her injury was gone, replaced by

mery said briskly. "An emergency

. "An emergency. Of course. Catalina cr

ghtened. "It's

ignoring the screaming pain in her ankle. "Explain it to me. Expla

ng second, she saw something crack in his expr

ask slamme

e time for t

rom the console table and

door cli

had just been. The tears didn't come. She was past tears now. A