ght across Karley's face-ruby, sapphire, gold. She sat in the bride's preparation room, her reflec

red, mouth full of pearl-tipped pins

not m

brating. S

ht and throwing prisms against the walls. She'd slept for ten hours in the Beverly Hills suite, waking to find Kev

her like she was the only solid ground in his world. The GPS tracker was forgotten, or nearly so, fil

oor o

ue spread-pale pink silk, couture, the kind of garment that whispered money with every movement. It was alm

e also looked like she m

d them off with a graceful gesture and made her way to Karley's ch

intimate, the tone of someone sha

to smile. "You look-are yo

he silk of her robe. Their eyes met in the mirror. "Just a little tired. I wan

uite a massage, not quite a

of a woman who'd spent ten years in corporate law before burning out. Kar

se don't ma

d. Her smile widened, showing teeth

was positioning herself between Karley and the mirrors, blocking Siobhan's vi

ing. Deep, resonant tones that

ose enough to Karley's ear that she could smell

-

thirty-seven seconds. Karley counted, focusing

shoulders, his arm trembling where it linked with hers. He'd cried when he saw her

nized faces from magazine covers, from Kevon's dinner parties, from the architectural world that

the dress, the diamonds, the girl from

he saw

rence that made her chest ache. For a moment, the crowd disappeared. The doubts disappeared. There

t look a

on her father's arm. But in the instant before she reached the altar steps, his gaze flickered. Just slightly. Just enough to f

g her hand, and the priest was beginning the

Anne Brown, ta

was wearing his ring, his name, his life.

ngagement diamond. His voice didn't waver when he made his own vows. When he kissed her, the c

nutes, Karley Mc

-

d pro bono. Ten thousand roses filled the space, their scent thick enough to taste. Champagne towers glittered a

he small of her back, guiding her through steps she'd

rmured against her hair. "Th

d closer, breathing him in.

the moment of tension in his shoulders that sh

ev

eyes had moved, scanning the crowd over

ugh the music like

gne towers. Karley turned, still held in Kevon's arms, and saw Devora on h

her voice carrying in the sudden silence. "Devora, s

, lurching toward a tall, decorative marble column that stood near the dance floor. Her sh

t Karley felt in her teeth. She looked up and saw the massive crystal fixture swaying, its o

ev

finished t

andeli

he crystals scatter like frozen rain, watched the heavy brass frame ti

arms rel

ort, the cold air where his body had been. She stumble

s run

evora had collapsed. He moved like a man possessed, like a man who had for

y's hand buried itself in the flo

d, on the way he dropped to his knees in the spreading pool of b

g like the controlled man she knew. "Someone call a fuck

d at Karley, still standing frozen on the dance floor, and screamed

idn't l

ers, watched his shoulders shake with sobs that seemed to tear themselves from his chest. He was

houlders, yanking her backward. "Move.

rrying her away from the destruction, away from her husban

the annex, sh

d. He was moving toward the exit, toward the waiting ambulanc

thin five fe

leeve of his tuxedo. He didn't stop. He didn't look at her. His eyes were fixed on Devora's pale face

standing in the ruins of her wedding reception with blood on her