ng in the air, hea

ing finger at Alexander. "You're out of your mind, Briggs! She's m

his declaration acted like a bucket of ice water, momentarily cutting through the drug's haze. S

e inner pocket of his suit and pulled out his phone. He tapp

er asked, his tone dripp

screen. All the color inst

a private yacht, slipping a massive diamond ring onto the finger of

f socialites gathered at the door. The whispe

panic replacing the rage in his eyes. "Eleanore, wait. I

zation of how thoroughly she had been manipulated. Johan had kept her isolated, controlled he

sofa and forced herself to st

waist like a steel band, pulling her firmly against his

gernails into her own bruised palms, using the biting pain to force her mind into a sing

e was hoarse, but it didn't shake

is grip on her snapped whatever sanity he had left. He

k of the neck and slammed him face

me!" Johan thrashe

arp, rapid clicking of stiletto h

up flawless, but her eyes were wild as she took in the scene: her fiancé pinned to th

le onto her face. She looked at El

mocking. "Throwing yourself at other men becau

the room seemed t

to look at Karlie. His eyes were

hristensen family begging the Conways for a cash injection becau

e vanished. H

r phones, their eyes darting toward Karlie with predatory interest

looked down at Eleanore. The coldness in his eye

sked, his voice drop

drenaline was fading, and the

tate. He scooped her

walked out of the suite, carrying Eleanore against his chest. The crowd of el

hear the steady, powerful thud of his heartbeat. It was the

orne swiped a keycard and pressed th

g off the noise of the hotel. Eleanore look

r heavy eyelids drooping

. He didn't answer. He just

crete expanse of the parking garage. A black, a

hite light exploded from behind

ara

hed, trying to

, he stopped walking. He turned his body slightly, ensuring the cameras had a cl

s clicked

Alexander carefully placed Eleanore onto the

mmed shut, sealing