delier cast a warm, golden glow over the long oak table, which wa

dox, Grady's mother, sat to Eleanor's right, cas

of the table. She sat down, keeping her back perfect

he room. They were laughing. Jasmine was clingi

t down. A wave of his expensive cedarwood colo

cing the first course of seared

eat sent a fresh, sharp wave of fire across her knuckles, a constant, physical reminder of the morning's

ne onto the table. Her sharp, manic

, a smirk playing on h

. Imelda's eyes were locke

blouse had shifted open just a fraction. It exposed the hollow of

p earlier, but against her pale skin,

need to learn some restraint. You can't leave marks on yo

stopped. The air in the din

es snapped to

outh. He stared at the red mark on Kaya's

dn't kissed her neck. Where

in horror, staring at the red mark as if it were a venomous snake. Her

tare burning into the side of her face. She saw Ja

e mark. She didn't open her mout

r cheek to force a faint blush to her cheeks. She let a sma

t picture of a ba

y are young and healthy. At this rate, I'll be holding my great-grandson

ut a sharp, r

in plate forward. The ceramic s

hined loudly, her voice shrill. "I c

course hadn't even been served yet, a

out of his daze. He looked a

his hand. "Tell the chef to stea

ox," the maid

egs. He picked up a silver cracking tool. Right there, in front of hi

lly removing the soft cartilage, and place

y said softly, his eyes

k. To them, it was just a brot

g. The anger was gone. The sadness was gone. There was onl

lop. She picked up her linen napkin and

the table and stood up.

ponse, she turned and wal