laire estate felt like a t

s were still there, casting sharp little diamonds of light across the floor, but tonight they looked like eyes.

ew York socialite staring at my back, following the line of the sapphire-blue silk dress Dante had chosen for me. It was beautiful, but it felt like a un

ante's voice brush

ce a perfect mask of billionaire charm. But his hand was firm on the smal

ng," I snapped, ba

ou look like you're wai

tood there alone for a second, my hand instinctively brushing my stomach. The morning n

s, I told myself. Ju

e. In

ing in the shadow of a marble column. He looked terrible. His tuxedo was wrinkled

come to apologize. Maybe he had realized that selli

or his arm, my voice breaking. "Thank God. I... I don't know what to do

you the acces

y hand fell

. He wasn't looking at the dark circles under my eyes or how my hands were shaking.

"You're his wife now. You must have the digital keys. If you get just one set of passwords, I can move en

elt turned to ice

ter selling me to him... Dad, I'm living in a cage. I think he'l

most cried out. "The people I owe... they don't take 'no' for an answer. Do you want to see

I saw a stranger. I saw a predator willing to throw his own dau

s heavy and bitter. "You don't care if

to save the

left, Arthur," I s

ting me to my old life snapped. I was completely alone. Trapped between

ed to shed in front of all these people. I hadn't tak

e was a mask of cold, murderous fury. He had seen i

I can

lway. He moved so fast I had to stumble to keep up, my heels clicking frantically against the floor. We passed t

shut with a bang

the edge of a mahogany desk to keep

toward me, and for the first time, I felt true fear that he might strike me. "Did

! I didn't giv

pulled a manila folder from his jacket and tossed it onto the

art s

ago. In them, I was laughing. I was flushed. I was in Killian Thorne's arms. In one ph

d began

esk. "I knew your blood was tainted by greed. But I didn't think you

, the secret finally breaking. "I

Dante roared, slamming his hands

gaze dropped to my stomach. The rage changed. It

throom this morning. I saw how you looked at the salmon.

ly. His fingers were trembling-not with fear, but wi

sh didn't lie," he whispered

s, searching for the truth

, Claire? My 'wife of conven

ok at him. His voice dropped to a lo

our womb? Is it mine... or does that ch