ide the cabin, the silence was thick, broken on

over her shoulders. The scent of cedar and dark tobacco clung to the fabric. She

oice light, completely detached

es locked onto a faint, angry bruise blooming at the nape of

collar. His rough thumb brushed against the darkened skin. The touch was feather-light

ructed icy exterior. Damn it, she hated this feeling of losing control. She had spent eight years mastering her emotions, turning herself into an untouchable fortress, yet this m

ck, his long fingers tangling in the loose strands of he

again," Cade said, his voice a low, dange

see the raw possessiveness burning in his pupils. S

she shot back. "I knew e

and, severing the contact, and leaned back ag

57th Street," Cade

pulled her phone from her clutch-the one now fitted with the prepaid SIM she had installed that morning-opened her contacts, and permanently b

underground garage. The concrete walls were l

rd a private elevator bank. Cade stepped up to the retinal scanner.

n for the top-floor penthouse. He looked

to whatever slum you are hiding in?" C

r clutch and pulled out a sleek, black keycard with an embedded go

the panel. The floor right b

him like a physical blow. The security in this building cost tens of mil

did the board start letting Evan's

pot for gold diggers," Adeline replie

ors slid open to reveal a m

and pulled Cade's jacket off her should

, neighbor

hot out. His forearm hit the rubber bumpe

distance between them in two strides. He backed Adeline

xt to her head, caging her in. He leaned d

breath hot against her skin, "do you need to b

raised her hand and pressed her index finger flat against the center of his c

r voice breathless but steady. "Especially

the keypad, and pushed the door open. She slipped

as she dragged air into her burning lungs. Her c

ame she had not seen in years-Marion Strong. A cold spike of recognition shot through her; somehow, her mother-in-law had b