ley's tone, not a hint of h

ond finally nodde

mpatience flickered in his eyes-he had no

ost the matchmaking banquet

gets an invitation. I'll have your three brothers return as well. They'll be there in person to look every candidate over. Any man who wants to marry

grandfather gearing up as if he meant to line up every so-

et. You don't need to turn it into such

gment was a complete disaster before. You let the wrong man fool you. This time, with your brothers and me standing rig

yes, a gentle warmth spread through Ashley's chest. She chose not to p

.

, Dayna idly swirled the pale champagne in her slender flute, her laughter

husband, Sleridge's entire elite circle lost its mind. All those smug rich heirs who usually act l

ere's one name on there that honestly caught

ound the stem of her glass, and in that insta

hierarchy stood Vincent Greene, the f

sed paths with him only once-at an ex

genuinely feared, the same man Nicolas had tried e

ooded and utterly inscrutable, a m

that he suffered from a private condition

s brows. "This has to be some kind of mistake. Sure, the Greene family does business with t

ion. "That's exactly what I thought. Unless... he's had his eye on you all along? You might've

her head, brushing the idea aside without hesit

only cared about po

n there was almost certainly a business motive be

.

bar, Nicolas sat drinking with h

ve way to obvious relief. "Honestly, this is better for you. Sure, Ashley is beautiful, but what else did she really have going

key around in his glass, his e

al, an unshakable restlessness had been gn

back, and Raymond Dunn is hosting a matchmaking banquet just for her. Nicolas, this is the opportunity of

e despised more than anyone-a dark fl

to teach Ashley a lesson, to make her see that without the Reed family, she's nothing. For all her flaws, she did spend the last three years

re still loyal, even now. Ashley's nothing but an orphan. Without you backing her, she won't su

ention wandered, his gaze drifting lazi

d away from him, her slender back exposed, the sleek black dress hugg

his stare, the woman paused, then tu

me into focus-refined, composed, and stunnin

... As