of a second heartbeat

c's corridor. Just one week later, and the monitor had shown two distinct sparks of life.

s now, I might never

sts. When they had performed the procedure, they hadn't breathed a word about twins. To t

When the Foster doctors heard, they figured the investment had failed. Once Eth

ves now rested entir

he clinic for over an hour. I stood up and moved to

her is fading! Get

as a hoarse, brok

ercrest Holdings pulled their support and the family business colla

I had a jagged relationship with him; I couldn't forgive the way he'd betrayed my mother with

a disaster zone when I arrived. Natali

ing a shallow whistle, his eyes clouded. When he

firmary?" I asked, gripping his col

the credits for a private ward?" Denise Harp

rters pay a fortune for the marriage con

how much debt your father racked up trying to keep the franchise afloat? Don't look at me like

ormed out, leaving a trail of

d been the one to teach me to skate, and the though

, sniffling as I leaned over the bed. "

ars, his voice a low, broken rasp. "Collins... my son. I failed you...

ing mine sudd

few days, my world had been upended: I was bound to a man who hated me, carrying two cubs I couldn't cl

s a gray, rain

hs. After the service, Denise headed to a nearby lounge with the few remai

me and my mother stand

om?" I asked, stari

ce hollow. "I do. Even now,

tand. "Then why

hate arrives," she sighed. "It's a love-hate bo

three days dealing with the arrangements, and not a single soul from the Silvercrest pa

aze with light. The sound of laughter and clinking

a Bennett spotted

my eyes, and her smile faltered. "It's pourin

n my trench coat. My boots were caked with cemetery mud

ced at the lounge. Ethan's inner circle was evaluating me l

eather sofa. He was wreathed in expensive tobacco smoke, h

though, was the wom

ng to the imagination. She was leaning into Ethan's space, her own cigare

she said. "The 'consort' Margaret picked out. She has... interesting taste. You're quite

and clearly you've got the curves the

te in my voice se

Ethan's side? I'm Chelsea Tierney. Even if you have the

ised h

AS

dollar bottle of vintage wine from the side table and smashed it against the marb

were white as I gripped the jagged neck

, my voice vibrating with a grief-fuele

r boy" they'd heard about was gone. Standing

d a cloud of smoke. He didn't move, his

d stormed to my room, slamming the door w

ly, any noise over a whisper made him snap. That door sl

the kid's father died this week. H

was her birthday, and she'd intended to mark her territory. She returned to Etha

out. He picked up his glas

lsea," he said, his

u," she w

zor-edged warning. "Collins Parker isn't a target. Even if he's just a str

divorce... he'll be no

he's something I no longer want, I

fell into a heavy sleep. When I

l ache in my gut. I threw on a robe and headed for the kit

dy, Collins!" Pat

ble. I was about to reach for

ne was worth thirt

For fermented grapes? "Are you

a warning. You break another piece of my prope

the bacon on my plate and felt a sudden, violent surge of n

to your liking?

cking to greens

awyer, Attorney Lucas Grant. As I headed out, Eth

ay, the cold wind hit me, and the nausea returned with a ven

e me. The window rolled down, and Eth

he know? Could a High Alpha

aring at the window. "I think I jus