ing table. Duke sat at the far opposite end. The s

canter of aged red wine. She poured a generous amount into Duke's

r own glass of water. "To the future of this family

glass. She took a small, pol

a very faint, bitter, herbal aftertaste. S

s glass, tilted his head back, and downed the en

ny of silver forks scraping again

ed," she announced. She pointed her cane at Duke. "You

tood up, his chair scraping loudly against the flo

e stairs. They walked down the plush carpeted ha

ic

hind them. The sound of the lock enga

nd and grabbed the brass doo

dge. The door was lo

the thick wood. "Hazel!" he yelled

Just the dead silence

ge, unnatural heat bloomed in the pit of his stom

pen the top two buttons of his dress sh

suddenly felt flushed. A strange, rapid fluttering

. Then, a look of pure, murderous

n them in three long strides,

ed her backward. Her spine hit the hard woode

tly did you put in my glass? You and my grandmother really think you can co

he shoved both her hands against his ro

out the wine!" she gasped,

ss laugh. "You are a liar. You

he raised her right hand, aiming a

s hand shot up and caught her wri

oth of her wrists flat against the

avy scent of male pheromones, amplified by the drug in his veins, crashed