ling shut echoed through the empty ma

e, broken only by the low hum

iled. He ripped his arm away from Hazel's shou

ard, putting three feet of p

nto the inner pocket of his suit jacket and pulled

touched her shoulder. Every swipe of the fabric was precise, radiating an overwhelming, silent

ded the contaminated silk with rigid, calculated movements and slid it into a separa

ay something he used to touch her had f

ly calm. She adjusted the collar of her shirt and

. Her voice was flat, carrying no emotion

e turned his head, his dark eyes

intimacy they had just performed outsid

dangerous rumble. "Leave the theatrics outside. Do no

zero interest in your private life. As long as the mon

ir between them crackled with hostility. Arthur, standing near

r, breaking the standoff. "Mr. King, Miss Ro

is back on them, and strode down the hallway,

st the floor. She watched his broad, tense back, feeling a de

rriage registration forms across a polished

and slashed his signature across the paper with violent, aggressiv

wn. It hit the wood

p the pen, her grip relaxed. She signed

el

t add the

with a heavy embosser. "Congratu

Arthur stepped forward, quickly sl

ed at the raised seal. A massive weight lifte

ordered, already walking toward the exit. "I am

damp alley behind the building. A black SUV idled

elf into the corner of the leather seat. He closed his eyes and pinched

in. She sat as far away from Karson as physically pos

f the alley, carrying the newly minted, entirely