ia's

pagne, it would look exactly lik

apped. The air pulsed with the sweet, sharp

act husband, whatever the hell he was - and smiled

on't murder anyone, m

that probably cost someone's tuition. He didn't fidg

dn't move. Just lifted a hand - one quie

e cut in

power wasn't loud. It

low, smooth, practiced. "My wife and I a

i

ribs. I smiled harder, like

llow me to clarify - my marriage to Talia Monroe was neither impulsiv

, but his hand brush

ate. Co

d saw af

chore

cameras. Hol

houted over

did yo

ave you bee

evenge on V

rapnel. His jaw flexed - the o

't Miss Monroe jilted by another m

led throug

dropped.

stead, he placed a hand on the smal

g with something sharp and uninvited. His touch wasn't gentle; it was a

he

med," he said evenly. "My wife was never

ell comple

hit like

the press, but no one d

ly, whispering,

" he murmured, l

ewrote my e

re we

im. Hard. Preferabl

nally left, I exhaled. "Y

ssistant without looking at me.

to the entire

cted the

lighted

al stare. "Welcome to corpor

name like

neck. "You didn't even ask

ave changed

es

N

e infur

effic

aying that word li

The kind of slow

did I say th

eed on. Then - to my horror - one corne

said softly. "Is that wh

ed. "You know

o

Just one. Enough to bl

- clean, cold, faintly c

ink you enjoy arguin

ing you wrong

slide straight into my pulse. "Careful

tched. The w

n't blush. Don't

sing my arms tight.

kno

rog

cur

an control every

thumbs gliding, utterl

harder than th

lass. I sat rigid beside him, trying to ignore how close h

er a while he said, "You ha

Was that...

said without lookin

honored to

flicked sideways. "You're no

You almost sou

get imp

muttered. "That wou

, but it was there.

just laugh? So

reflection in the window - me in white silk, him

en the flashes and his hand on my back, som

ed me more than the

ntleman, but like a man who wanted control over whe

, Mrs. Vos

t, Mr. Ef

ile threatening his compo

I said swee

, then stopped. "S

ne tr

cold, unblinking. "You'll

ere in the echo of his footste

ious. I should've ha

back to that photo on his desk.

one who looked familiar in

was

ling that knowing her nam