ate. Massive, century-old oak trees lined the path, their thick bra

scale of the mansion crushed whatever breath she had left. The towering Corinthian columns seemed to look down

ffed heels hit the gravel driveway, the loud crunching sound pai

e guided her through the towering, custom-carv

g. Caroline looked up, and the blinding refraction of light stun

of leather dress shoes echoed f

ess French into a phone. He was issuing a rut

of his voice sent a violent s

eyes tracked the sound to

his broad shoulders perfectly. One hand was casually tucked into hi

gaze collid

king. The blood in he

he recognized her face, a dark, vio

k over. She spun around on her heel, despe

sly stepped in front of the exit, b

the final steps, his shoes hitting

s eyes slowly dragging over her cheap blazer.

"Sir, this is the young woman Madam Ma

ped. "My grandmother requested her?" His vo

, the little cleaner has upgraded to inheritance f

ine stumble back. Her shoulder blades hit the

g to cower. "I didn't know this was yo

trembling hands. Then, he sl

k, exposing the angry, red ring of teeth marks on the flesh

saw exactly what she had done to him.

shame and terror churned in her stomach.

absolute zero. "The Ross family does

. "Sir, this is a direct order from Madam Matil

alized this street rat had somehow bypas

ine's chin. His fingers dug painfully int

my house," he hissed, "I w

he glared right back into his furious eyes.

sive tension. The maids standing in the hallway k

oom swung open. The dull, rhythmic thud of a wheel

oed through the foyer. "Gray

hung in the air li

to something far more complex than mere revulsion-a fleeting, raw shock that was instantly buried under a glacie

violently with the memory of his weight, his scent, the taste of his blood. A wave of nausea was