ly into her windpipe. Dark spots exploded at the edges of her vision. Her lun

thick, corded muscles of his forearm. She dug her nails in, feeling the sk

her brain overrode the paralyzing terror. She forced her jaw

t, the word breaking int

of genuine shock crossed his scarred features. T

investigated-she would have fainted the moment the lightning revealed his face. She would have screamed for he

to a cold, cruel sneer

ned hi

apsed forward, her hands clutching her bruised throat as she hacked and coughed, s

silk handkerchief, and meticulously wiped the hand that had just been around her neck. He rubbed the fabric against his

orboards. He walked to a crystal decanter on a mahogany wet bar. The sharp c

hrobbed with every heartbeat. She glared at his broad back, he

ip of his whiskey. H

come here to die," his voice was a low, gravelly

ve of cold washed over her. He kne

er legs felt like jelly. "If you know I'm not Joy, then this who

her fingers desperately twisting th

he sound bounced off the high ceiling

ver to a massive mahogany desk, pulled open the top d

ssed it casually

ith a heavy, definitive thud. Several cris

owly crouched down, her fingers brushing the top page.

Notarized and Filed. Her gaze dropped to the spouse section. There, printed in undeniable, per

widened in horror. She flipped to the next document. It was a pre

ed divorce proceedings, she would be liable for a breach

er rattled. She crumpled the edge of the docu

. The steel toe of his military boot st

darwood, and cold rain washed over her.

, his voice laced with absolute authority, "t

scars crisscrossing his cheek, the cold emptiness in his eyes. T

s illegal! You can't do this! This is false imprisonm

sts in mid-air. With a single, fluid motion, he twisted her a

pressed into the small of her