ene

stal chandeliers dripped diamonds of light onto polished marble. Julian's hand was a possessive weight o

brushing my ear. The shiver it sent dow

ure Dynamics' board, raised his glass. "And now,

hammered. I knew what was inside. Arthur, unaware of the true nature of my marriage,

hotograph of a younger Julian standing bes

out a stack of envelopes tied with silk

towards the letters. "

ers. From Arlene, by the looks of

" I whispered. "

t I hadn't seen in years. "Re

r untied the ribbo

eakthrough in my heart. I know you're busy building your empire, but pl

still skipped a beat, just like the first time. I know you're still t

air, naked and exposed. I was being stripped bare,

of shock. He took a ste

shed across the screen. "Julian! He

onfusion and nascent understanding, hard

, Arlene.

his security detail falling in behi

g a group of rough-looking men, his fists flying, his body a

agged tear in the fabric of my heart. Then, with trembling hands, I pulled out my father's

the last flicker of light die. "You nev