oom. He held a heavy, silver premi

s widened slightly at the sight of the bright red

ierce's hands. He didn't even bother

rder: "Leave. Now. Clos

d exited. The heavy mahogany double doors cli

muscle jumped in his jaw as he popped the metal latches open, his mov

gauze pads, and a roll of white medica

er heart ached with a profound, suffo

silk tie from her wrist. He tossed the expensiv

sed the cold, chemical-soaked antisepti

r body instinctively pulled back, s

arm firmly in place, his fingers digging slightly into her ski

rcasm: "What's wrong? That hurt? For someone who supposedly

d her muscles to relax, remaining perfectl

osecond. He gently, almost reverently, cleane

ped it carefully around her wrist, applyin

ry ounce of courage she had left to explain her past

s raspy but clear: "Julian lied to

roze com

rom his fingers. It bounced off the matt

d to drop ten degrees. His posture t

s were filled with a violent, swi

comforter. He pinned her back against the tuf

are never leaving this penthouse for Julian Car

tried to force out the words: "I hate h

gony: "You tried to kill yourself as a negotiation tactic? To

epped back, stumbling slightly as if he h

trembling hand through his perfectly sty

maining medical supplies, a raw display of his explosive frustration. Cordelia

h plummeted. She realized her poorly chosen words ha

He didn't look back. He left her entirel