pocket. A text message from her landlord: "URGENT. Someone bribed night security. Tryin

slammed against her ribs. The only though

ght air burned her lungs. Police would mean questions. Reports. Her identity, her care

ted a sickening crunch of torture

t, her chest heaving, her eyes wild with panic an

in front of the broken door, becoming a human shield. Her

cket. "Mr. Carlisle is prepared to compen

icient. Break into a woman's home, terrify her household, then wave paper at her as if manners

calling the police was worse. There was only one w

go. But your men leave. Now

elevator opened onto the penthouse. Vivian

o open and shut. Kara was curled on the sofa, looking pale and victi

condescending amusement. "The great Dr. Vivia

was not bought. I was abducted by your thugs. There is a diff

n lik

." She didn't flinch. "You are not the first rich man to mist

the conversation. Instead, the cool contempt in her voi

u speak to him that way? You're supposed

ts who need it. You, from what I can see, need an audience far more than y

carefully arranged fragility

erl

voice, a razor edge beneath the French accent, that hooked into his attention and refused to

me here in the middle of the night. Your fiancée is c

ned. "My fiancée is i

ra, stopping to look down at the woman who had systematically dismantled her lif

erling. "Ster, I don't w

ong moment, then nodded to Owen

tient to be partially undressed. I won't have an audience.

ollowed, pausing at the door. "I'll be right outside." But his eyes lingered on Vivian for

rdened. "I know what this is. You're attracted to him. Ever

ivorced her on their anniversary. "I don't make a habit of chasing married men or engaged men," she s

less like a wounded swan and more like a woman

is your problem." Vivian's voice remained smo

earsed monologue. "It was a car accident four years ago," she said, voice trembling on cue. "It ruined ever

How precious a white moonlight became when a man decided she was worth protecting. With Vivian, he had taken

probing. The scar tissue distribution told a very different st

full medical file. Proper imaging as we

? I'm in

te has silk cushions, champagne, and bodyguards. It does not have an MRI machine, a surgical

ivian walked to the door and pulled it o

el

nd a full blood panel. I'll

t for hours, and all you can gi

he night," Vivian corrected. "I'm giving you a pr

t of him pressed against the cold space between them. "C

faction of retreating. "And you threaten as if you expe

the set of her shoulders, the way she moved through the hallway as if she owned it. As if he were the intru