re's

re, w

ust as I stepped out of th

econd before relucta

concern. "Why are you always like this?" he demanded. "We were together for four years,

ing my anger for a moment. That'

to check on me-to offer some comfort after everything tha

d. "Are you ser

had a future if you'd just tried to be more. I don't know

gh the last fragile th

family, who stole my boyfriend, and still had th

nd you still don't understand me. I don't need to change for anyone-espe

han's voice rose, echoing off the m

fy your cheating by blaming me. And thank you

d pride on his face. The spring breeze was biti

n my heels. No taxis in sight. Only the cit

shop windows a year ago. The day he bought me that little Cupid brooch I'd once admired but coul

those wor

othing more than a loan

n my eyes. I wasn't weak-but even the strongest woman could bre

'd rather be the woman who threw the so

to take off my heels and walk barefoot when a

dow slid down,

ci

ed from shadow and control. "Get in the car

den appearance and his tone. It w

nce. And after the scene he'd witnessed at di

d him and k

to get a cab here," he

ghtening my grip on my pur

, "You should know there have been several attacks on wom

lt darker. The rustling of leaves

d with reason-b

, and opened the passenger doo

The silence between us wa

e console and handed me a small black b

surprised.

," he sai

the lid-only to gag at the pungent smell

sement flickering across his otherwise stoic fa

k anyway. The cooling sensation spread imm

tly. "It act

he murmured, as if st

ring at him through the corner of my eye. His faint smir

away wi

n, tone casual but eyes sharp, "you were drinking alone that night. M

ess in his words ma

And for the record, last night was a mistake. A m

His gaze was steady-t

in professional boundaries. What

almost a whisper. "Professiona

es

zily, "Don't flatter yourself. I have no interest in you. If anything, I sh

n his tone made

ed teeth. "You really are fu

irk returning to his lips lik

e car pulled to a sto

aid stiffly as I unbuckled m

less tone. "You're an employee. If something happened to you,

ed. "Ex

fectly calm. "It's a

liev

ake sure I live to a hundred. You can save yo

respond, I slamm

hissing softly against the pave

taillights disappear into th

cold, arrogant, ins

reason, my heart was

e the moment I opened the door. "C

sion changing instantly when she saw the redness

worry, Mom. I got slapped twi

tears. "You shouldn

ping. "Ryan stopped being my father the moment he

er all," she said softly, her

he woman who'd endured everything in sil

I said quietly. "I

behind me. My cheek still burned,

my bed, staring

e weekend. Than

t sure how much strength I had