turned and walked towards the staircase, her back ramrod st

calm breaking. "I'll be right back," he muttered to Serap

r lips, but Julian shot her a sharp look t

, his hand closing around her upper arm. "Chloe,

strength that shocked him. In two years,

serene. "A five-year-old child, Julian? A child who

l. "Five years old... It's interesting, the timin

pected such a direct assault. He immediately fell back on deni

completely alien to him. "I'm just curious. After all, you

leanly between his ribs, finding the

ck on the old tactics of physical comfort and emotional manipulation. He stepped forward, his arms

: she would not be touched by him. She leaned against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest, the orange

oice dangerously soft. "M

g it was an opening, a chance to appease her. "Yes, of course, darling. Wh

xpression on his face, and a slow, cold

, but manageable. A tantrum with a price tag. "Of course.

ng his. "Neither. I want the estate in N

the most iconic properties on the Rhode Island coast. It

?" The words came out

ent of steel. "You said I was embarrassed. You said it was your fault. This is how y

cial transaction, but as a test of her value

of cash, especially now, with every spare dollar being funnele

arable would break. He still believed he was in control, that this was just the biggest, most expensive temper tantr

buy it for you." He tried to add a condition, to regain some semblanc

ed scorn passed through her ey

essing her advantage. "The dee

was already committed. He had already surrendered the moral high ground. To refuse now would be to adm

maintaining the illusion of a stable marr

vement stiff, resentful.

e was buying

ea he was fu