rip was bruising, his fingers digging into

se so the passersby wouldn't hear. "I saw you come out o

ne cried out in her mind, trying to wren

nd. He didn't look surprised. He didn't look angry at Calhoun. He

to stand by your husband's side, and you are going to show everyone that the Maynard

ome," she plead

ome when I s

k up a fast-paced waltz. Before Elayne could run, her brother-in-la

pered, his breath smelling o

nd. His grip was

birds," Conrad laughed in her ear.

she conveyed, trying

spun her again,

s and faces. She tried to plant her feet to sto

N

allic crunch ech

letto didn't just break;

ched forward. Conrad didn't catch her. In fact, he released h

es slammed into the wood. A sharp pain shot up h

ped. A collective gasp suck

undreds of eyes were staring down at her. Some w

Bianca stood looking down, a glass of

up. Her ankle throbbed. She

nder the chandelier light, was the flat head of a heavy-duty industrial tack. It had b

ne gasped silently. She

center of the circle. His

d, look at the shoe. Someone put a ta

hand, then at her face.

L

een. Theodore's hand connected with Elayn

went deat

shaking. "You're drunk! You come here, jealous of your

yes-not from pain, but from the sheer injustice of it

tepping in. "She's been drinki

t the security team. "Get her out of my

s. Her feet dragged on the floor. She clutche

ntly as they dragged her backward.

a, watching the crazy Maynard wif

e concrete loading dock, the cool night air biting

e broken shoe, the industrial tack gleamin