sper, the sound seemingly swallowed by th

His gaze remained fi

he stated, his ton

the air between us

tress had finally broken

h lethal precision. "A respectable, civilian woman. S

d calculating, as if he were assessi

the des

"This is insane," I snapped, my fear momentarily eclipsed by d

t d

w, absolute, and v

my legs threatened t

dropping to a glacial chill. "They want me to marry the daughter

k, moving with the preda

I need a reason to refuse

der across the polis

my ring. You attend family funct

n?" I asked,

e said, meeting my eyes

older. It wasn't just

ped it

page made my breath hit

oans, pay off my parents' crushing mortgage,

I saw the

losure A

usiv

edience

y breach of contract would be hand

y what that e

his is a death sentenc

a mistake," he

ing his arms, muscles straining a

ng as you wear my ring, no one touches y

tting the sil

have to s

y bank account. I thought about my editor sc

e rush-the drug of breaking t

ooked a

r. There was no

ring me the key

hand hovered over the pa

performance?"

wirling with secrets

y life is a perf

ign

permanent against the whi

he folder wi

ulled out a velvet ring

ze-large enough to be a

in was warm, rough with call

e ring ont

as h

e jewelry and mo

he family, ca

an octave, vibrati

, you are mine. D