f the seafood soup at the hea

hed open. Donavon Monroe walked in, bri

ossed it carelessly over the back of

d, reaching out to

t hit her nose. It was a faint trace

leather handle. The movement caused her sleeve to slip b

d to the bandage for

expression remained comple

had been sucked out of the room. The words she had practiced

ir and sat down. He loosen

ce water," he ordere

and to grip the heavy crystal pitcher, her muscles strainin

k one bite of the soup she had spent three

ering against her ribs. She waited for him

ed a pristine white handkerchief f

d out a thick manila envelope. He to

olished wood, stopping right i

d, her voice carrying a faint, barely perceptible tremor as a dark premonitio

as half-laugh, half-sneer. He

voice dropping into the flat, dead to

ft hand. She tore the flap and pul

the top of the first pag

ettlement

blood drained from her fa

bsolute shock at the man sh

elding. "The trust fund outlined in section four is more

chest physically ached. "Why on our t

uine annoyance crossing his featu

Don't try to use cheap emotional manipulation t

rn on her right hand suddenly felt like it was scor

esperately looking for a shred of the w

calculated, defensive glar

inst the table. "Sign it. My la

nuckles turned stark white, the sharp edges of