f harsh, tearing coughs that left her eyes swollen and brimming. Faced with Caden's cold, unyielding

meet them? And what made

is hold around her wrist cinched tighter-the force

ide Village when I was small," she forced out, her voice breaking. "There was a boy living next door-he w

s face seemed to crack. The cutting hostility that had been pouring

mering as he looked down at her, his

hung up on t

ed it beneath her chin, angling her face upward as h

a tissue, carefully dabbed away the tears streaking her face,

was that supp

lver chain, a startling, almost u

onger remember the boy's full name, but she

boy actuall

nts of her past sudd

director. It must have slipped away in the chaos, only for Joyce to find it... and n

privilege and rare opportunity, while Caden mercil

o she really was-he had been guarding her becau

and the man she was meant to marry, she had also taken the very boy Kaylee o

when she was young. She had only been found again at eighteen, after

she got instead was a brutal reality check. Her mother couldn't take the grief and had died not long after she vani

heir care and affection for Joyce. They had even pushed Kaylee to surrender the roles and endorsements she h

n a hopeless attempt to earn their affection. In exchange, they had bartered her away to that hollow, monstrous man

e she was gone, the union between Declan and Joyce was celebrated openly-praised by all as a "perfect match."

gone from this world. But above all, she detested the version of

kened bruises and those suggestive marks

o make of what had h

se as her thoughts spiraled into disorder. From the bat

ged, a towel hanging lo

ht, his brows drew together ever so slightly. He approached, placing

-unintentionally-toward the sharp lines of his

ck with startling clarity. Her face burning, she jerk

ghtened at the sudden

ction of that small, sweet girl from the village-she had alway

d always held a place apart from others. Now that they had crossed that boundary, he was fully prepared to a

engaged to Declan, and by every indicat

ith indifference, he stepped away, retrieved a business card from his abandoned wallet, and placed it on the bedside tab

asier for you, we can pretend last night never

e in his voice, the widening d

ing in silence as he dressed and walked out, he

anted to bury what had happened and move o

tity, he would protect her bec

fluence to shield herself and carry out