to hail a cab. All she wanted now was to go home - no, not home, back to th

realized it wasn't there. She'd left it behind, on t

d sigh esca

pid, carel

nside that viper's den made her st

y seemed to have recovered from the earlier drama. The music was pounding again, the laughter loud and l

curious kind of respect, but she ignored them all. Her on

ere when someone

o you think y

toppe

by his family fortune. And not only that - he had Vanessa cornered by the terrace. A glass

e fun! Drink up!

ick and oily with intoxication. "You get over here

her. Eleonore had no

rself, she

ask of helplessness and resistance. "Harri

d, grabbing for her w

to Eleonore. "Y

ass, her expression

s when she

ent his eyes - which had been idly scanning the crowd - lock

is face morphed int

rides carried him across the entire hall. He ripped the whi

like a gunshot. The whole party screeched to

everal steps. "Don't you ever lay a finger on her again," he snarled, his voi

ir over and over. He buried his face into the curve of her shoulder, his body shielding her from the entire world. "It'

bsolute. It was a declaration.

e, watching the scene that ha

etly, she

and walked out witho