etween them w

in. The diamond necklace thrust over her shoulders by Adrian weighed more than shackles, a cold weight on her collarbone, a brand

a gift. It

about them was charged, the memory of his lips on her still tingling her flesh. The pressu

d to wash

the necklace around her ne

d think was to discover wh

, taking power in the way in which he would inevitably do, forcing her to ac

breath, a moment too brief to be anyth

h revulsion. Not just wi

licing the cold stillness.

er with infuriating composu

re clenched

other, something inscrutable. "You are my wife," he said, his

led. "I am yo

pt into his words. "And a dresser, a blank page, and a life of excess?" He moved in on her, filling the space with

to slap him

and met his eyes without a

own around them, th

something in Adrian's features gave way. It was a transient

a touch almost

suddenly, it

the cuffs of his plain white s

t," he breathed. "You'll find

o let him have the last word. "And you'll see

ere was no humor in t

eft the bedroom

shut with

breath she wasn't eve

s pa

rst hour was spent going back and forth, the second hour spent trying and trying again to see how she could get the ne

pi

he width of the wall, arms folded, lo

maze she wou

e was already suffocating. The way Adri

lock snapping b

with the penthouse

ux jacket was gone, and his sleeves had been pushed high on his forearms, where they

ot what intere

s the

y there, but there. And a smudg

omach

ou done?" Sh

n smi

out me, Mrs

I have a right to hear whether or not my

e bar cart in the corner. He filled a glass,

rd," he said, sipping. "Let's

n a fist. "Business

e bar, his eyes on her. "Oliver

ran over her.

d. "He i

lowed. "Too c

illness was only brief eno

, "To secrets that woul

room

ries she would not want to see. But hearing it in such a manner-that is, hearing in such a mann

liver Grant is looking for something that would not see the light. And if he finds it-" He drew a hand up, stroking his fingers over the delicate cha

eath c

the wedding, she had not paid attention to what was beyond.

ell began, she wondered whether Adrian

aybe-something even worse

ond her und

he didn't

and her mouth was inclined upward a

o trust him in

ot a thing in a

instead of giving in, Is

sed him

s a m

careless, ob

ips on hers in a motion almost a battle and not a hug-

ed her more t