ell rang

a persistent, entitled buzzing t

ly clothed, afraid that if she got under

o the door, ru

open

den stoo

a sunrise in a C

t blonde cascade. Her

dboard tray wi

e chirped, her voic

ed, wondering how she'd gotten up to the penthouse. Alfred must have g

Carl

rl

ix wi

e called

rix mumbled, cl

rged from t

s and a tight technical t-sh

s swe

en on the

and launched h

ar

er arms aro

ed, waiting f

on that a stranger wouldn't notice. His hands landed on her back with the carefu

her w

onger, a challenge in his ey

said. "Yo

back, beaming. "And breakfast

x, her smile not qui

still here? I thoug

" Beatrix said, lean

ed to the dining table like s

as a

od demanded it. But looking at Gene's triumphant sm

he table and sa

, moving her chair so cl

hifted hi

bagels. "Did you see the

, taking a plain black c

t," Carlyle muttered,

apping his arm playfully. "Everyone knows it

eatrix with wid

Bea? What's your plan

e cup halfway to h

red her voice to a conspiratorial whisp

s head s

lattered to

o Beatrix. It was co

true?" he

looked

nted Carlyle to think Beatrix was cheating so

looked a

ked fu

h

. He was marrying Ge

ess

a split-sec

aybe he would let her go faster. S

is name is Mark. He was a se

?" Carlyle asked

e invented. "

around his coffee cup.

," he sneered.

x said, twisting the knife.

ed his fist o

fee cup

," he g

then she saw the vein thr

wasn't just angr

est suddenly, letti

ed. "My heart... it

ped agai

ttention sn

en

she whispered, looking fr

tood up i

you to th

ive me home," s

helped

d back a

were full

ate tonight," he said cold

" Beatrix sa

rked. "You are still my wife

f I re

very single one. Let's see how much Mark like

Gene to

ack over Carl

wi

oor s

alone in t

hone

from he

or $4,500 to Sloan Ketter

dn't

en the acco

the message, her

mother's medi

Gene had left and th

all with a dull thud, leavi