ny doors open again. She stepp

e. Another silent maid was on her hands and knees, scrubbing th

into a bucket, bowed to Julian, and hurried out of th

ght hand. He slowly swirled the amber bourbon inside. The ice clinked softly ag

up and rubbed her bruised arm where Richard had grabbe

ecided to play it cool. She cleared her

. The silence in the room

ghtly sarcastic tone to diffuse the te

lashed in his mind, bringing a strange, unexpected flicker of guilt to his chest. He immediately shoved that unfamiliar feeling down, u

k basic etiquette," Julian remarked coldl

realized she had broken character. Sylvia would never use slang o

er designer luggage. The expensive leather suitca

ped loudly in the quiet room. She intended to find a

hands dug past layers of neatly fold

a piece of fabric. It

fusion. She held the gar

, provocative lace lingerie. It had practical

perfume hit her nose. She immediately recognized that smell. It was a

k eyes landed directly on the provocat

in his cheek. A look of profound, viscer

harshly. His voice dripped with venom. "A desperate go

mbarrassment and hot anger burned her ch

the fabric physically burned her fingers.

nd cruel. "No one else had access to

touched her shins. His voice dropped to a dangerous, low octave

calves hit the solid edge of

Jessica set her up. But she stopped herself. She remembered she was supposed to be th

ed her mo

the air. Julian took it as

on the wooden nightstand. The shar

im," Julian ordered. His tone w

at the floor. He locked his ic