omy, the proportions are actually i

uth, the atmosphere inside the car

into Elijah's gaze, hea

ushed him

solute authority, and people feared h

skin was never a

er eyes, hoping to undo the damage. "That is not what I meant, Mr. Fletcher. What I wanted to

eyes eased, and it was clear that

nd without fear, but now she wore a gen

itude stirred an unexpected s

struck a match for his cigarette, his tone low and compell

before adding, "Please drop me off at the next junction.

Elijah motioned for

Ashley accepted it and saved h

, making it hard to believe she was the sam

the driver slowed and stopped at the si

again. "Once you are finished, come find

ow." Ashley's eyes curved in

taxi and gave the driver the

pstairs, pulled out her keys, and

ng the country and later rented it out,

ected several sets of clothes alon

e had not touched in years, and she recalled that it held a

s only once, and she could no l

ck beard, and gave off the impression of being difficult

ngering, Ashley pull

e paper, and the folds had stuck together,

back into the bag, slipped the bank card into

pped into an upscale boutiqu

se a diamond necklace that featu

is role as a husband, so he believed that a though

was making an effort to hold the marriage together and th

fort might persuade the woman to ac

ue, Elijah drove straight to He

of the car, and his tall figure stret

n for the sixteenth floor and soon found

lijah lifted his han

y footsteps grew closer before

at once that the woman he ex

an who had a bathrobe loose

ng freshness of a recent shower surrounded him as he

tone as he asked, "Wh

s pupils tightened as every line he

e had not reached out to

anger swept through Elijah, and it erased the la

een them, the law still bou

ssed felt like open an

on for this marri

poke with a voice stripped of warmth.

the pocket of his coat, then turned away at once and

red after Elijah, his brow ti

woman's voice drifted fr

asually, "No one I know. He was prob

.

her packing and made her way to the s

where, and only Darin and Luciana were ther

rself, the mood inside the

wander over her without restraint and invited,

"Darin, are you putting her on the spot? Dr. Scott only kn

ords "win over men," and her co

toward Ashley had lodged itself in

y walked forward, and a cool s

ith open interest. "Here are the rules. Every missed dart means one piece of c

ughter burst out from

If you are afraid, then just walk away. This p

et who had stepped into hostile territory, som

lders and spoke with casual contempt. "Just

a dart in her hand. "One ro

ightly, Ashley repl

her fingers and let her ga

sized up her outfit, ran a quick mental cal

k the bullseye

se exploded ar

already. Hurry up!

another added, "I

lse said, "Those hips must be sof

arted her red lips slightl

gh the air, struck Darin's dart aside

yet dangerous smile show. "That makes me the

as everyone froze, their disb

lenched his jaw and responded, "That on

Ashley spoke. "I have no patience f

ealed several slim blades and sen

e cleanly through Darin's clothes whil

rew sharp gasps from

s face as his eyes widened

un and aimed it at Ashley. "Are you tire

d against Luciana's throat, cold and heavy with killing i

lowed the en

the doctor who appeared so mild

hand clamped down on Lucian

me blocking her from view, and the pressure he brought

card slipped free from Ashley's pocket and dr

amiliar black card, and a sharp shock r

nded to his wife three years earlier, right af

verything around them

p and unreadable stare, and his voice carried a biting