s hung i

ating silence. It felt as if all the oxygen

e rumbled in his chest. The laugh grew louder, echoing off the ma

desk and leaned forward. He looke

ow?" Ezra snarled. "We used stri

he yacht," she pleaded, her voice cracki

r step toward my d

ow f

s tall frame closing the distance between them. He stoppe

voice dropping to a lethal whisper. "You handed it to Atticus Duf

"No! That was a setup! I never touc

clamped around her jaw. He squeezed so

making her look into hi

tos of you walking into his hotel room. You deserved every day you spent in that

inding. But the word 'deaf

out of his grip. Tears finally spilled over h

ed out a crumpled, folded piece of paper. It was a warning letter from the New Yo

Ezra's chest. Her voice broke

er from me, Ezra. They s

His pupils contracted sharply. For a fr

flash of shock was instantly bur

letter. He stared at h

estrate a visit from a social worker to manufacture a crisis, and now you're

m in horror. He did

o shove the letter directly into his hands

ted her h

his arm struck her wrist. The single

ugh the air, landing on t

reat lying on the floor. The last shred of her hum

y closed

icable spike of anxiety pierced his chest. He i

You found out Katherine and I are getting married. You found out I'm tak

t the man standing in front of her.

Her joints ached. She pick

voice was suddenly

, staring at his chest. "I don't have a perm

ised her eyes

u to give Clementine a legal guardian status and a trust fund s

te lack of hope in her gaze made his stomach dro

her. He walked over to the crystal decanter on t

ther man's mistake,"

to play. She took a deep breath. She d

e one thing Ezra

hard hardwood floor. The loud thud of her knees

hipped

e proudest, most stubborn woman he had

n her face. She had abandoned every ounce of he

ust one test. You pick the lab. You take the sample. W

ckles turned a sickly white. He stared down at the woman k