orning,

t her head spun. "

htstand. "Victor's men were spotted two blocks

was for yo

ght." He glanced at the rumpled bed. "T

hat photograph for hours. The

lena?" Ar

t change. Not a flicker. The

st. We have

?" she said a

he curtain. The city sprawled below them, glittering and indiffer

r? I don't have a-my mother died

ned. "The man in the hospital is not your bloo

woman who looks like m

her was Elena Astor. Sister of Eleanor Astor. The Astor fami

wrong. "You're insane. I'm a waitr

ly crest embroidered in gold." Christian's voice was flat. "He raised you as his own because he was a good man. Because

er face. The room felt too

Stop ta

ri

whole life is a lie? That my dad-the man who raised me, who taught me to ri

ters." Christian's voice softened, just

hy do you care who my blood is? Why did you hunt m

n he reached into his pocket and pulled ou

n. Young. Smiling. Arms ar

are t

t." Christian pointed to the other. "The man on

n on the right had her eyes. The

at'

He died the same night your mother did. A fire. The p

s were...

will states I inherit Knight Corp and the Astor estate holdings only if I'm married by my thirtieth birthday. I have exactly si

" Aria laughed bitterly. "Because if you m

e if I marry you, I can protect you. And toget

e she could see the faint scar above his

me this from the begi

n't have b

don't bel

ed her. "Belief isn't re

the door and

ed. We have a w

-

SUV, staring out the window as the city blurred p

ere going shopp

rst, we're meet

hy

gn a p

enup? You're already my husband on

dn't look up from his phone. "If you leave me, you walk away with nothing. The million dollars revert

" She sputtered. "That'

looked at her. "And this, Ar

ate

ove." He went back to his pho

. Christian got out and walked around to h

tared

taking yo

ne is w

walk. Doormen. Security camera

n't c

us fighting, he'll know we're faking. If he knows we're fakin

my father."

s hand again. "Smile, Mrs. Knigh

un. But she thought of her father, con

ok his

Christian's face softened, just slightly. And for one strange moment,

rl," he

ur sleep," she whisper

es, pro

-

d Helen who looked at Aria like sh

e," Helen said. "I

one word for it,

here." Helen slid the

p the pen. Th

Christian break

nked. "Ex

pay him back. What if he breaks the rules

ad turned. His

h provisions," He

cheats, he pays me five million. If he harms me physically or emotionally

m went

p slowly. "Aria.

her into the hallway. His gr

ndermine me?" His vo

n't see what this is? You're a shark. You saw a desperate girl and you saw a

trying to sav

ut you didn't. You couldn't. Because I'm useful to you. I'm a key to a fortune and a wea

. His jaw worked like h

" he said finally. "Fi

dropped ope

wn, you go down with me. My enemies become your enemies. My danger becomes y

n't f

d and walked bac

but her hands

later, the contract amended and her signatu

His arm wrapped around her w

ook at me lik

hy

Victor

looked around, past the ca

r Cruz. Standing in the

her chin up. "Loo

e'

at me,

lo

stian ki

ike he was claiming her in front of the entire world. His

back, she cou

id, loud enough for the cam

pensive. She was holding a sign. One word, written in red lipstick: LIAR. And the woman was staring directly at Christian