h a soft ping on the top-floor V

heaving, her breath burning in her throat.

ie Group executives and private security-lined

ng against the cold m

ened. The moment he saw Claire running toward him, t

losed the distance between t

his large hand shot out a

the solid marble wall. A sharp, involuntary grunt of

hers, trapping her completely in his shadow. The

, his teeth bared. "Did you leak the divorce to the pre

ng pressure on her wrist. She forced herself

rd to anyone," she

a dark, ugly

citation room flicked off. The heavy doors pushed open, and the

wrist. He turned his back on her

d. "But his heart is failing. Another spike in his blood pressure, anothe

e dim, machine-filled room, keep

ted the silence. Sterling lay on the bed, looking incredi

is eyes. He reached up with a trembling hand

ble authority. He looked directly at Cooper. "If you divorce her... I will

ed so hard a muscle

kly. "I want an heir. I want you two to

ious," Cooper snapped, his

eep-be

es jumping erratically across the screen as St

Claire. She l

Cooper's large hand, lacing he

, desperate smile onto her face. "We just had a stupid fight. We lov

He looked down at their joined hands as if she had just handed h

g. He couldn't pull away. He stood the

il shoulders. The monitor's beeping returned to a steady, rhythmic pace

room and the door clicked shut, Cooper vio

t to retrieve his handkerchief. He scrubbed the back of h

think you won today? I promise you, I will make ever