awthorne

front doors, her single duffel bag in hand, her wedd

is voice distant, formal. The warmth from

anted to know what it meant. But his

rse," s

r-haired, expressionless. "If yo

of Alex's eyes on her back. When she glanced back, he

oom, a bedroom, a bathroom larger than her entire

window. The grounds stretched for acres, gardens, fou

just begun to unpack wh

iking. Tall, with the same sharp cheekbone

the replaceme

n her blouse

side, letting the door swing shut. "Then yo

need your

your quiet voice and your sad little bag. But I've seen women like you be

, but beneath it, she saw fear. A si

r his money," Em

y are yo

paid my family to t

e hostility faltered

to a stranger. I don't want to live in a house where everyone looks a

blouse again, resu

y day, waiting for me to make a mistake. But I'm not g

a long moment. Then she lau

A transaction. A business arrangement." Her voice cracked. "He's been pushing everyon

at the door. "If you hurt him,"

before Emma c

*

, Emma cou

chapel. The way his lips had moved against hers. The way his fingers had tangled

pulled on a robe, and

site end. The door was close

er hand raised to knock. Then she hea

her ear to the door. Another footstep. And anothe

The file said he was paralyzed. The media said he wa

iddle of the night, behind c

er room, closed the door, and sat o

e was in his wheelchair, facing the gardens, a blanket

p early,"

ed to stand beside him. "Alex

r, his expressio

covering his lap. At the

ve you been

x's hands tightened on the arms of his wheelch

what you're

as calm. "Last night. I heard

ecide. The mask he wore, the mask of the broken heir cracke

he said, his voice sof

h. "I'm not going

y n

business. We have a contract. One year, and I walk away.

The threat was still there, but ben

not afra

uld

own and lifted the blanket from his lap. Beneath it,

planted it. I spent eight months learning to walk again. And while I was gone, the

his hands, th

roken, they underestimate me." Emma absorbed this wit

wife makes me look stable and norma

e. "I didn't expect them to

ne lik

of doctors and nurses never saw." He

ver called her dangerous. "Your secret is safe with me

ded slowly. "A contract," he agreed. He wheeled

wai

what other secrets you're carrying. You saw through my act in le

d, just enough to

re you

e smile. "That's a question f