, ragged movement. He forced himself to loosen his grip, to create a sli

, to never let go. But the other part, the cold, calculating machine that had survived Wall Street's bloodiest battles, was whispering poi

way again, of being abandoned, was a primal terror. Her hands, which had been clutching his lape

ed to believe it. God help him, he wanted to believe that this was real. But trust

hanging uselessly at his side. The crowd held its breath

ed away the single tear track on her skin. The gesture was so tender, so completely at odd

ou're being played. But her skin was warm beneath his palm, and the way she leaned into h

rm of her emotions. Stella leaned into his touch, her cheek

*Or so he thought. For one glorious, terrifying moment, he let himself drown in her. Then

e blackness consuming

ew bolder. "Mr. Sterling! Over here!

media pit. The reporters who met his gaze flinched, physically recoiling from the sheer male

I'll destroy her. I'll burn her world to the ground. But if she's not... He couldn't

ous temper, he turned his attention back to Stella. His

test her. He would push her to the edge and see if she broke. I

her hair, ruining the stylist's careful work. His other arm snaked around her waist, yanking

e desc

ation, an act of sovereign conquest. It was also a question-are you mine or aren't you?-demanding an answer her words alone

efore she melted into him, her arms winding around his

very betrayal, every scar, every cold night he had spent convinci

g. The security line broke as reporters surged f

, the sheer volume of viewers turning the high-definition feed into a pixelated slidesh

PLODING" icon, now occupied the number

ed, her eyes dazed. He stared down at her, his own breathing harsh and uneven. *The doubt was already creeping back, col

shoulders, covering her from the prying eyes of the world. The jacket was heavy, warm from his body, and smel

couldn't afford to believe. He settled on the simplest truth: he couldn't s

d again. He gave Jack a si

ecurity team formed a human wall, a phalanx of black sui

oulders, half-carrying, half-dragging her thro

r himself, bundling her into the plush lea

ld went silent. But inside Axel's