aide

and-stitched leather and bulletproof silence. The chaos of Fifth Avenue-the honkin

ive diamond on my finger caught the ambient light, glittering like a c

ring wheel, her knuckles white, staring straight ahead through the r

gnized from her father. She turned her head slowly to look at me, her eyes narrowing. "Mrs. Maddox. Are

et ring Damien had forced onto me earlier. "Gracelyn

n't marry the *Capo dei Capi* on a whim. My father doesn't do whims." Her gaze droppe

re was no point in lying. Not to her. She was a Madd

ambling debts. I had nowhere to go. No money, no family. Your father was the only one powerful enough to stop th

ected her to scream, to call me a go

ange sound fil

n was l

credulous laugh that bounced off the leather interior

ou married the Devil to escape a rat. Oh my God,

tunned. "You

ou realize what you've done? Andrew Hebert just publicly assaulted the wife of the most danger

ou for years. They treated you like a *Hostage*, like collateral damage. But now?" She grinned, a feral expression that was all M

mured, the word tasti

u're family now, Addie. A

planning. But as the elevator opened directly into the sprawling, cold expanse of Damien'

ap. It was a transfer f

room when a sound cut through the s

had given me. The one that couldn't be tracked,

I pulled it from my purse. The scre

herself a drink, her ey

e to my ear, my ha

ber

straight down my spine. It was devoid of warmth, devoid of humanity. It w

ouche

. A statement of fact

enly feeling very cold. "He grabbed my arm.

e mark

Andrew's fingers fading on my bicep. "No," I

ilence so heavy it felt like he was in

ded. "Do not leave the p

ne wen

one, staring at

e counter, a knowing smirk on her lips. "He sound

filter through which she viewed her fat

placing the phone on the cold s

on my arm where An

ng his assets