rned bone-white, her fingers digging into the metal so hard she thought h

tter impatience, and reached

e leaned into the car, his large hand closing over Eliza's

round. She collapsed onto the cold, gray epoxy f

sks pushed a stainless-steel gurney toward them at a brisk pace. The metallic clatter of the wh

to fight them off, but the doctors were practiced. The

k. C

over her wrists and ankles. She was pinn

s face utterly impassive. He reached over to a nearby tray and picked up

back pressed against her cheek. He trailed it slowly down her jawline,

ce a demonic whisper, "I won't wait for the do

roke free, streaming down the sides of her face and pooling in he

abric of her sweater, a shrill, piercing r

screen, and all the blood drained from his face. He practic

nto Eliza's chest and snatched the phone. He jabbe

" he b

er. Eleonora Prescott did not sound angry; she sounded ab

name, but everyone knew the Prescott money was what kept this empire afloat. Eleonora held all

e. "Then say goodbye to your trust fund. The board

cal blow. His hand, which had been reachi

room for argument, "you will marry this woman immediate

bbed the scalpel off Eliza's chest and threw it at the wall. The blade shattere

ng. Marriage? The word echoed in her min

n, the

surge of raw current slammed into her optic nerves. She squeezed her eyes shut against th

her lips. The doctors backed away, looking at Clifford for

arre, cooling sensation. It felt like ice water

opened her eyes a

in a decade of night. She turned her head toward the sound of ragged breathing. Standing three feet away, his chest heaving with rage, his jaw clenched tight, was a man whose presence radiated pure fury. She couldn't see the dark hair or the