r. He came under the guise of inquiring after his brother's health, but his

was a formal, impersonal space, designed for uncomfortable conversations. Byron was in the

ing past her as if she were part of the furnitu

She kept her voice even and calm, just as they had rehearsed. "Byron

ort, derisive laugh.

w. She simply slid the file Byron had given he

w the columns of figures, the dates, the names of

The smug arrogance vanished, re

f this?" he hissed, hi

ppointed. In Cal's disrespect. Both to him, and to me. He feels an appropriate punishment is in or

reeling. Byron, crippled and confined to a bed, was still holding a knife

ffing, of weakness. He found none. Her e

satisfied smile touching his lips. She h

thick with tension. F

asked, the words tasti

ration in Alaska. For one year. To 'reflect'," Amelie relay

worse than death fo

imace. He was a man trapped. He fina

e looked at Amelie, really looked at her for the first ti

de," he said, the words

nd left, a

crumbled. A shudder ran through her, and she sa

and Byron wheeled himself out. His

It was the first real pra

our lines," she said,

he countered, his gaze intense. "Y

time, she saw something in his eyes beyo

and set a corner of the papers on fire. He dropped the burning f

he said, his eyes on the flames.

t it was also an offer

ow. She had seen the absolute control he wielded from the shadows, and fo