ven colder sheets of their bed, because sunlight hit Elle's face like a physical blow. She bli

memories of the previous night rushed back-the grinding noise of the dis

-in closet. The slide of a

f and walked to the closet door. Her

ing his cufflinks-gold ones, not the sapphires she had destroyed.

awake,"

frame for support. "Are you

precise, jerky movements. "Explain what? My

king about y

nsed. Then he resumed fixing his tie. "Yo

raspy. She took a step into the closet. "If I went to

nched. He closed the distance between them and gra

possessiveness in his voi

s for anything that resembled love. She found

d, testing the waters. "Maybe I should find a new spo

He grabbed her chin with his free

but me. You're an expensive habit, Elle. Without me, yo

irmed her worst fear: that to him, s

She stopped resisting his grip.

s thumb brushed over her lower lip, a ghost of a caress. It was g

ilating. For a second, he looked lik

nd away as if burned.

voice flat again. "Carlyn is bring

. "Am I going as your date? O

cause scenes," Hunt said. He grabbe

mmed, the vibration rattling the

closet. She touched her neck,

It was her fat

Allison wanted to remind you that the family dinner i

because he treated Elle badly, but because H

lle said. S

re room she used as a studio. It was the onl

sel. The smell of oil paint and

ht, his messy hair catching the light. His face was

ver the canvas. She tried to recall the cu

space in her mind wher

lipped, leaving a jagged smear

rush across the room. It h

corner of her mind with his coldness, pushing

ed again. A te

ight. Burn t

t the message

ed back

on the shower. Tonight was the Gala. T

e final, desperate attempt to bridge th

f he

burn it