was absolute, broken only by the soft hum of the engine and Aurelia's ragged breathing. The engine cut ou

d open. The world slowl

clutching it like a lifeline. The fabric was wrinkled, a testament t

ed into the glove compartment and pulle

oice gentle, stripped of the leth

f contact sent a jolt through her. She nodded, not trus

ectly into her penthouse apartment. The fingerprint scanner

shoes skittered across the cold, polished hardwood floor. She n

sofa, the soft cushions enveloping her. She closed her eyes, pressing the heels

the door cut th

the door with the silent, predatory stride of a man who had already ident

," he said, h

ld, weary resolve settled o

fraction of a second,

composure was a brittle mask held together by painkillers and spite. He glanced at Hart with a flicker of lingering terror, quickly masked

pressed pain. "I came to apologize. What hap

ed him with the cold, detached stillness of a cat o

he point,

he adjusted his draped jacket. "I've been a fool. Celeste... she meant

rched, a razor-thin

can still be mine, Aurelia. Discreetly." His lips curved into a smug, predatory smile. "Be my mistress. It's the only lifeline you have left. You think you're free, Au

the door, but the air around him had dropped ten degrees, and his

wly rose fr

bare feet silent on the hardwood. When she stopped,

oice soft and dangerously sweet.

ve to do is stop this ridiculous rebellion and come back to where you be

less sound she'd used on him in the lobby. It was the laugh

. The words were ca

ile faltered

umble from the door, the promise of viole

argue, then saw the look on Aurelia's face-not anger, not hurt, b

ing. "You're making a mistake," he said, his voice shaking

r back on him and walked back toward t

n making it clear that the next time Preston appear

e clumsily grabbed the bottle with his right hand-his pride apparently worth less than a

a, her spine rigid, her hands pressed flat a

rd the soft click of a cabinet opening in the open-pl

e relaxant cream in his hand. He had found her first-aid kit, tucked away in

h her. It was as if he knew thi

e looked down at the rigid line of her shoul

," he said, his vo

ifted, a sharp, stabbing pain shot through her shoulder blade, and a pa

his palm, rubbing his hands together to warm it.

knotted muscles of her trapezius and began to work on them with a practiced, rhythmic pr

y sound of relief

he felt the subtle shift in his posture, saw his throat move

the tension began to seep out of her body. She felt her muscles uncoil, her breathing

d, the words coming out muffled by the sofa cushions. H

lind fool," he said, his voice a low, protective growl. The u

nally turned to look at him, his eyes were dark, the pupils swallowing the gold. She could see the flecks of

a very long time," she said, the confession raw and h

s stoppe

that means to me?" he asked

s intense gaze head-on, a silent

nose was almost touching hers. The scent of him, clean and masculine, overwh

n of her phone on the coffee

eam, her cheeks flushing. She snatched the phone, her hand trembling. The scre

w. He took a step back, shoving his hands into his pockets,

call, her voice

g the morning's scandal, your father has triggered the trust's contingency clause. Effective

to the gut. The air r

do that," sh

hint of satisfaction in

ne wen

A wave of cold, suffocating despair washed over her. They had cut her off. They were g

panic. He was crouching in front of her a

nable to speak past t

d to say, her voice trembling. "They

s wide with a desperation

ips of granite. He reached out and took her hands,

gaze, his ow

u have no reason to believe me." He held her gaze, unwavering. "The

ney could buy. She didn't know whether to believe him. But she wanted to. She hated how badly sh