mooth halt beneath the grand porte-cochèr

en the rear passeng

orcing her into this vehicle and pressing this borrowed high-necked navy wool dress into her hands. Her hands clenched deep

on the top step, adjustin

rvous calculation darted across his eyes before

to catch her hand. "You vanished after feeling

nd back as if she had

he memory of the sweet, chemically laced ch

s digging like iron claws into the small of her waist,

the dutiful fiancée, or I swear to God, the administrator at St

her from screaming. She swallowed the metallic taste of blood in he

rs, hedge fund titans, and Montgomery family board members stood in tight cl

ialite nearby whispered behind her flute of mimosa. "He hasn

utler sliced through the

Montgomery

room fell d

stantly straightened their spines and stepped asid

espoke leather shoes echoed aga

into the hall flanked by s

her gaze drifting towar

rom her lungs in an

-piece suit, his posture radiating absolute authority. The shar

man from th

ndom freelance model she'd drun

uchable tyrant who controlled Montgomery Ent

ees shook so violently she had to lean against the m

s jacket and stepped forward, bowin

e dragged a paralyzed Darlene forward. "We are honored by your p

on st

s slid past his half-brother as if

ing directly on Darlene's high collar. A raz

asked, his deep baritone

st, resting a proprietary

dest of the Gilmores, she'll be a perfect addition t

he word, rolling it over his

one step

e faint, unmistakable scent of cold cedar and expensive t

gtips, terrified that he would pull those three crumpled hundred-dol

aw," Clayton said coldly, "has no one tau

ng out a silver tray bearing a fine

directed, his eyes

porcelain cup. She kept her head bowed, her vision blurri

gomery...

hed out to t

ushed across the back of her trembling hand

through her spine. The hot tea sloshed

iety matrons exchanged c

ok a slow sip, and set it back on the s

flat. "And your hands are trembling, Miss

d into the flesh of her inner palm, fighting to calm her rag

ntgomery. Thank yo

the breast pocket o

ed out a folded silk pocket s

s heart

edged with the exact unique hand-sewn pearl trim