e plush carpet with each step, but the comfort of luxury did little to ease the torment weighing on

ing like the charming socialite she had seen in magazines. His dark hair was perfectly styled

," Patrick said smoothly, his voi

is fists. "She's my dau

't reach his eyes. "

turned his gaze to her. The weight of his attentio

id, his voice pleading

ff, her tone icy. "You're giv

as if struck, sham

as grim as it sounds. You'll live in luxury. Want f

r," she said throu

corrected. "Ther

o keep her composure. "Why me?" sh

of teeth. "Because I can. And because pow

er's hand trembled over the paper, each stroke of the pen sealing her f