, forcing the violent rage back down his throat. His icy gaze bypassed Sharo

m behind her mother's arm, her voice stammering in panic. "Mom

lingering critically on his mud-splattered shoes and his loosened,

ced his facial muscles to relax into a stiff,

hoved them into the door lock. She pushed the door open, desperate

ctor. She ran her finger along the top of the cheap IKEA TV stand, ch

rawled. He wanted nothing more than to stand under a boiling hot shower for an hour,

aimed her interrogation directly at Jude. "Blaire tells me y

nt, with a ruined suit, he crossed his long legs with the inherent dominance of

ortgage on a dump with no working elevator? Your financial

dropped. She rushed out, holding a glass of water, trying to extinguish th

it's unacceptable. You lie down with dogs, you get

d bone-white. The veins on the back of his hands bulged. In his en

s voice dripping with frost. "You don't need to worry. I have

s worth. She exploded, launching into a rapid-fire verbal assault, tearing int

spiking so high she felt dizzy. "Dinner is ready!

c. Sharon picked at the deli meat Blaire had bought, complaining about the so

up and hurried into the kitchen to grab the

ck toward the dining area, her heel caught a slick

t from under her. Her center of gravity collapsed, and s

he alarm bells in his brain shrieked. His

stinct, shoving his chair backwa

small. The back of his chair

hard. The bowl tipped

er splashed directly onto Jude's chest, soaking

r of the table. A blinding flash of pain shot

chest. The thick, creamy soup clung to his skin, radiating a sickening, fishy sme

floor, clutching her wrist. There was no pity in h

ld-digger move. A fake fall to force

, vibrating hiss. "Your pathetic attempts