eavy, suffocating shadow over the actor. Austen's knees buckled sligh

word. He pulled his right arm

vicious swoosh. His knuckles connec

let out a strangled, agonizing grunt. His eyes bulged out o

second before he stumbled backward. He collapsed onto the hard marble flo

k hit the glass doors. She curled into a tight bal

und. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a fresh silk handkerchief, and meticulously w

sive silk directly onto Austen's sweat

e floor offered a tiny fraction of relief to the bur

him. She looked down, her voi

he interest," Al

God, I will strip you both of everything. Your reputations, your money,

up at her, his eyes filled with toxic venom

e needed to say. She t

he thin silk of her red dress offered no protection agai

lders. The rich, masculine scent of cedarwood

d. Gabriel had picked up his su

sized jacket swallowed her frame, wrapping her in an

her. He casually adju

id, his voice flat and commanding. "Don't

ile touched her lips. She reached up and pulled the

respectful nod. She turned and walked toward the gla

still packed. Hundreds of eyes snapped toward he

was clearly a man's-it was that Gabriel Alvarado himself was acting as her silent, invincible shield. His terrifying, predatory aura cleared the path before them, and no one needed to guess whose bespoke jacke

edatory grace, acting as her silent, invincible shield. The cro

's front doors. The crisp Los

zens of paparazzi had swarmed t

ere shoved aggressively toward her face. Reporters screamed ques

wept her cold gaze over the mob. The sheer intensity in her eye

tires ripped through the night. Four massive, black Cadill

SUVs. They moved with military precision, shoving the papa

r, stepped out of the center Maybach an

t beside the open car door. He turned hi

red. Two words. A

ducked her head and slid into the backseat of the May