or creaked open on

smoke. The muscles in her face shifted with practiced precision-her mouth curving into a soft, demure smile,

eatures thirty seconds ago was buried under an equally flawless mask of calm, composed, almost ten

reached out and placed his large, warm ha

r stomach clenched involuntarily, a visceral, physical rejection of his touch. But she forced herself to exhale, forced the tension out of her spin

nd living room in perfect, si

ogether with a sound like breaking twigs. Tears of pure, uncomplicated joy welled in her ancient eyes, spilling ove

o toxic, so corrosive, it practically smoked off her skin. The orphan. The charity case. The girl she had tried to sell to a menta

rly stripped of the venom he had spat at Cynthia five minutes ago. "C

smile was perfect-warm, adoring, the smile of a man who had just found his soulma

ith Oscar-worthy conviction. Meanwhile, her stomach churned with nause

k of his wrist. "Unfortunately, I have an urgent cross-border confer

he sun. "Go, go, my boy! Work is important! Cynthia, d

he sweeping stone steps, and across the crunching gravel driveway to where the black May

and snapped back from her waist as if he had pressed his palm against a red-hot stove coil. He aggressively, furiousl

er own hand where his palm had pressed, slapping the fabric over and over again with sharp, stin

the role, sweetheart. You aren't Mrs. Church, and you never will be." H

missing his nose by inches. "Have a terrible trip," she mout

ree-lined driveway until it disappeared around the bend. Cynthia let out a long, exhausting, b

g straight for the stairs. She needed the sanctuar

the shadowed corner of the hallway, half-hidden behind a massive marble Roman pillar and a

gainst the cold wall, holding h

leonora

voice practically vibrating with manic glee. "A thirty-day contract! A contra

gether, though! Did you see the way he touched her waist? T

culating register. "We need to force their hands. Accelerate the timeline. Throw them into the fire together a

citement. "I'll tell you their schedules. I know this house in

he hallway. The two women had ju

t alliance between a billionaire matriarch with unlimited resources and no boundaries,

oid, and hurried quietly down the hall to her room. The loc