dsight is tw

eborn, hindsight

lroom where my fate had once been sealed, I carr

e marble floor shimmered with mirrored reflections of luxury. The air smelled of champagne, roses, and the faint a

into this very room believing

his ballroom dazzling, dangerous

knew

s, old money, new ambition. The same sharks

though I told

ing fo

en I s

n Bla

the others, nor was he surrounded by fawning women like Richard always was. Instead, he stood

omposed

.. they watch

presence had always unsettled me, not because it frightened me, but because

ignored that pull. I h

me, I w

-

. Da

l lace and perfume waving in my direction. I forced a polite smile, exchanged pleasantries that m

d remained

h

me, my pulse stuttered, my breath caug

ugh he'd felt my

effort. People instinctively made space for him. His presence wasn't loud it command

my knees felt less than ste

ng sacred. His voice was deep, smooth, with a faint rasp tha

, though my pulse thrummed. "I

he said, eyes lingering on me. "But s

tever it was he felt. Or maybe he was simp

k, he extended a ha

t have felt like a c

t man to ask me to dance here. I had said y

was the one of

ut to make the s

red, slipping m

-

Da

floor, the noise around us dulled, the light blurring into gold and shadow. The waltz

into his arms, t

ery step perfectly timed. The air between us pulsed, elect

d to l

t nearly

essed tight as though he were restraining something words, emotion, or both. His

anged," he

ed. "Ch

ing for someone to save her." His lips curved faintly, though the emotion in his eyes was

sted painfull

me. I had been naïve once, ch

e in my bones and

will do that to y

ightly. "Or maybe I

each the storm behind them. "Grown up," he repeated quie

d feel the heat of him steady, solid and the dangerous comfort it offered. Th

oice dipped lower, almost lost in

art s

hard's name, but

ered. The truth came out bitter,

ld on me subtle but protective

he word felt like a

ness. His gaze never left mine dark, steady, unreadable. Th

loser, his breat

ly. "Richard is not a man to lose

hased down

watching from the shadows while Richard destroyed me piece

fe he was stepping

ecti

. "You think I c

mething fierce. "I think

esent colliding. I could almost hear my he

movement ca

ch

harming, perfect, poisonous. The same smile that had lured me to my

the room, casting him in shards of gol

his glass mock

fr

t through the haze. Firm.

rcing breath back into

mine. His voice was a low

rom him," he said quietly, "wo

it me like

s t

od ran

dn't ha

ne c

un

eyes held me still dark, searching, as though h

eak, but my v

ow, impossibl

-

d with a soft,

it. Adrian stepped back, bowing slightly, his expression u

d

s one wrapped in silk, th

y rebirth, I realized the past

n Blackwood trul

chance was no l

s his

changed e