through the towering wrought-iron g

the grand marble foyer, and sat alone in the living room as the sun sl

y mahogany front doo

walk

e table, roughly loosening his navy silk tie. Hearing h

no warmth, only the irritated residue of a

ass coffee table. "I just flew across the country in a freezing storm, a

three paces a

on the left wing of his crisp white shirt collar. There, right

achy pink Hollie Mathis wore

ing her insides. But years of courtroom training kicked in

er voice terrifyingly steady. "Finalizing

ion of the bridal salon, a flash of guilt quickly masked by his towering

the practiced dominance of a CEO who was u

er. "You spend way too much time on trivial things, Alex. I'm out there fighti

er eyes up to the tiny dark mole below his rig

epeated softly. The words t

yes, mistaking her s

that French lace cost me? Without me, you wouldn't even have access to those Parisi

ly dismissing her, and walked t

ood," he tossed over his shoulder as

of rushing water echoed

ng to the water. The man she had loved, the man she had sacrificed her twenties to buil

tairs into his massive, c

raight to the lower velvet drawer of the jewelry is

ears of anniversar

icked up a delicate si

k when he was still pitching ideas out of a rented garage and she was working t

ied when he put it around her

lled out a thick, heavy-duty black trash

h

t hit the bottom

nd stud earrings fr

hire brooch from

is bracelet from

, hollow sound. There was no hesitation in her movements. With every

them standing in front of the Golden Gate Bridge years ago, smilin

n into the trash bag, burying it beneath

water abrup

t door sw

roplets of water clinging to his chest. He stopped in his tracks, his br

ir. "Whatever. Go down to my study and print out the revised tech patent files.

s administrative filings. She had been his lawyer, his a

of the black trash bag

d to face him. Her amber eyes were

ve a preliminary injunction hearing in federal co

and stopped mid-mo

He stared at her as if she had sudden

stature to crowd her against the velvet jewelry is

l asked, his voice dropping into a

k back. She met his furious glare he

Basil," Al

gracefully around his broad shoulder, an

hed in his cheek. He was about to shout after her, ready t

s mouth, a sharp, insistent

t resting on the changing bench

uminated screen displayed a single incomin