idn't sa

ocked tight. Then, he turned on his heel and walke

man fleeing a b

hallway. She took a deep breath, ignoring the t

ve, open-concept living room. Floor-to-ceiling wi

oom sat a pile of splintered

and piano. A rare,

ath hitched

acking it down in Europe. And she had taken a titanium

His back was to her. He reached out, his long fin

ders betrayed a profou

bare feet to move across the cold marble

ard her a

ility vanished. When he turned to face her, the r

g finger at the

er," Gaines sneered, his voice dripping with i

ng to provoke her back int

dn't take

an two feet away. She tilted her head up and

inch. She did

violently jerked at his silk tie, loosening i

ising in volume. "Did the Lester family hire a new PR team? I

mily, a flash of pure, arctic h

ly blinke

g beautiful," she said, her voice barely abo

r like she was speaking a foreign language. He

snapped, his voice harsh. "The A

o bury his feel

ised her

ling slightly. She lightly pinched

muscle in Gaines's body turned to stone. He stopped breat

aclyn asked. Her voice cracked. A single tea

s jaw tightened so hard his teeth groun

ed directly on the dark wool of his su

whispered again. "

side him. The violent clash of his anger and

He grabbed her wrist-th

winced, but she didn't try to

s from hers. She could feel th

ate me," Gaines hissed throu

back, Jaclyn pushed

final few inche

," she breathed

l and wrapped both of her ar