the floor, her chest heaving in panic. The thre

t Kallie. "Go! Go up to my room an

s glare at Kaylee, but she didn't dare disob

down. She was holding a polished rosewood box.

ed forward and flipped the lid open. Inside rest

inst her chest. It felt like she was holding her own hea

mber this. If you ever harass her again, I will person

uided her toward the door. They walked out of

the crystal box. Silent tears of relief slid down her c

ed it to her. His tone was flat, devoid of the anger f

lled into the underground garage of an ultr

humb against a biometric scanner. The elevator shot u

eer scale of the apartment, a heavy, ex

of the living room was a stunning woman. She wore a silk sl

e heard the elevator, she stood up with a f

dy of the house. But as her eyes landed on Ernest's

over her body. It was sharp, calcu

nched instantly. A dark wave of annoy

as dangerously low. He showed zero

"Agnes opened the door for me. I heard about the

empting to loop her

dodging her touch as if she were carrying a

tiful, calculating eyes to Kaylee, looking her up and down. K

rfectly crafted blend of innocent curiosity and subtle condesce

ace paled. She squeezed the cryst

lee's arm and pulled her firmly against his sid

," Ernest warned, his vo

nciated every word clearly. "This is

Wife? Ernie... what kind of joke is this?" she asked, her voice trembling with a masterfully executed display of heartbreak. "We... we grew up together. You bring a stranger into y

the contract. She was supposed to act as his wife. She n

rnest's solid waist. She leaned into him and

am Kaylee