the weight of last night pressing ag

through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Paris sprawled beyond the glass, golden

manding-whispered through her tho

mach cl

oor, yet still he ha

he wanted. That the illusion of control sh

was that she hadn

h to steal the air from her lungs. Close

s over the bed, determined to shove the m

That was all this was." S

ing had changed, but the moment she saw Damien standing by the coffee machine, shir

the morning light. He looked unfairly relaxed, like a man who ha

at and crossed her arms.

fee, unbothered. "Our

ed. "Don'

ed. "Good morni

his voice and focused on the espresso machine

unter, watching her with amu

fed. "I'm ma

"You're making a poi

ting his gaze h

hing unreadable flickeri

r stomach, but she re

said coolly, changing the su

odded. "

frowne

is voice was laced with amusement. "Did you think

eeth. "I don't ne

e murmured, his voice a low hum against her skin. "B

e reached up, tucking a loose

d, his lips just inches from hers. "Or so

She wanted to slap him, but at the

e said, "Don't worry, darli

ode past him, ignoring the way

yet she knew that Dami

morning at

ressed in a custom, form-fitting black gown. The fabric hugged

hat she was suffocating under the wei

ble, picking it up she fro

then again, you always did kno

ood ra

re were Photographers, Stylists and Assistants, but

g unease in her ches

r stylist, Margot, touched

message. "Let's finish this." But the words sat heavy on her tongue because she k

ere frayed. She needed answers, and unfortunately, ther

lly flipping through a document. He

to talk

. "Hello t

and tossed her phone onto

, his gaze flickeri

e movement, a slight tightening of his grip

Celeste, it was everything. "Yo

the phone d

owed her eye

esn't

iked. "It ma

bbing a hand over

an Mercer!" She should hav

arms. "And you weren

et her g

eath c

e wasn't just protecting the engagement. He was pro

ning away. "I don't

instead, he just watched her

urmured. "

ything else because for the first time, she wa