gloomy silver wash over the towering windows of Blackwood Estate. Ivy stood at her

e like a secret. Her fingers trembled slightly as she smoothed the side of her dress,

n to her since that

lock your d

e

she hadn

w how to name-an ache between attraction and animosity, betwee

here to be seen. The silence was deliberate, curated, as if Lucien had comm

to the dining

hand, back turned. His profile was framed by the storm

iting?" she asked, voice ca

her you'll come," he

remember? I'm part

him turn

, something else flickered there, like the flare of

he said, walking to t

m, lifting her chin. "

dn't

d-orange salad, and some risotto that steamed with earthy scent. Iv

nse silence fo

r who cra

't going

t look up. "

te silences. The dinners like we're strangers at a charity ga

r gaze. "Fine. Let

his for

harp. "You think I wanted to strap a public narrative

allowe

sense. Because I needed your company's patents.

s a hostage

"You make it sou

me here like I

he snapped, suddenly rising from the cha

lamming her napk

s full of failure and begged me to save what little pride he had left.

rd her. Then another. Until

eel. "You call me cold, but you haven't ev

and fell with the heat of fury, confusion-a

p at him. "T

aw te

s were in

-Lucien grabbed her wris

followed was

was

sume her argument, set fire to the boundary between power and passion. His mouth wa

ps were swollen, her breath ragged,

aid roughly, "is

You can't just shut

arkened. "

lappe

like thunder throu

face bare

u should be careful, Ivy. There'

when I do?" she as

epped

r surprise,

ming. No

us

e what's on th

ng her breathless, f

f she hated him o

lawfoot tub, surrounded by candlelight and

truth she offered, he weaponized. But underneath all o

her that fracture would l

on the marble tra

don't know who he re

art st

back: Wh

espo

the screen u

mirror across the room-and reali

a two-w

could be

, wrapping herself in a ro

this house than si

were s

g to think she was m

it kil