nse of the impossible choice before her. Marry Julian Thorne. A man who was cold and calculating and dangerous. A man who

save her father. A way to preserve the gallery.

immediately, armed with wine a

d explained the offer. "Or you're insane

'm out of options, Chloe. The gallery is dying. My father is dying

u understand what that means? You'd be tied to him

r. Then we divorce. He's not asking me to be h

men like Julian Thorne don't do anything without expecting a return o

allery owner? What could she possibly offer him that he couldn't buy with his money? The only answer she could come

s better than lo

do it," Elar

ing to help you. Because if you're going to marry a psychopath b

was transferred to his assistant, a woman named Patricia who spoke with th

you at three o'clo

ice again, her heart pounding so hard she thought she might

ns," Elara said

of a predator who had just cornered

n the gallery. You don't interfere with my business decisions. Third, when the year is over, we divorce cleanly, and I

"The first three are acceptable," he said finally. "As for the fourth... Let's just say

answer she was going to get. She took a deep bre

he agreed. "I'll have my lawyers draw up the contract. We'll marry in two weeks. In the meantime, I suggest you pre

e a deal with the devil. And the terrifying part was tha