she'd just begun to face, pressed down on her like a thousand pounds. She turned toward the door, each step

, his tone low,

n around. Her breath caug

ce firm, but this time there was something else undernea

was impossible to ignore, and she was desperately trying

her back to him. "

ing her further from him, but also from the mess her life had be

drowning in for months. The business she had poured every ounce of hers

r everythin

t wha

r. The idea of marrying him-living under his roof, playing the part of a dutiful wife-felt both like a pri

id of the idea of being his or the r

ne buzz

ge from her be

y? I haven't hear

Kara about the insane offer, about the billion-dollar solution

instead: I'm fine. Just

ause before K

I've never seen you this str

pocket. A break. She didn't have the luxury of a break. But maybe-j

e she walked past her shop, her heart twisted at the sight of the fading sign, the empty windows. She'd been on the

about it, the more his

at the same door to his penthouse, her heart pounding in her chest. Th

the same driver from before greeted her wi

the same unyielding presence of Xavier loomi

ne clipped, like he'd been wai

to sound confident. She didn't know if she was more terrified of th

g gaze remained locked on hers,

d, his voice low, a

through the uncertainty. "

dn't change, but the faintest glint of some

terms a

swallowed, the words bitter on her tongue. "I'll play the part. A

distance between them. His presence wa

s quiet now, as though he wan

n hers, unblinking. "I'll take the money to pay off m

gainst hers. She could feel the heat radiating off

esting her resolve. "You understand the stakes, Mia. Once you sign,

he way his thumb traced along her jaw.

raction, before his voice droppe

and yet, for the first time in their entire exch

in this. She w