off the noise of the street. Annabel sat in the passe

rs she had been holding back finally spilled over,

thena's shaking shoulders. "He is a blind, stupid

er mind violently pulled her back to a night exactly one

he hallway, his skin burning with an unnatural fever. She had managed to drag h

mattress. He had taken her with a frantic, desperate hunger, his body hot and heavy over hers. But ri

touched in three years of marriage. It w

before the sun came up, le

ers drifted down to press flat against her lower abd

't used p

ntly, trying to dislodge

noticing her panic. "

er, her cell phone shrie

. She pulled the phone out. The caller ID showed Martha

ed the scre

he old master collapsed during the board meeting! Th

Maldonado Sr. was the only person in that entire fa

pped the phone, threw the car into dr

in record time. The sterile white hallway was packed wi

rounded the corner and nearly collided with

between them instantly

doing here?" he demanded, his voice dropping to a harsh w

raight to the glass window of the ICU. She stared at the frail old m

He looked grim. "His heart failure has progress

e's awake. He's demanding to s

He pushed the door open.

et room. Cornelius lay on the bed, an oxygen mask strapp

well's hand. With surprising strength, the old man forced thei

ut the moment his skin touched Athena's freezi

ed through the mask, his eyes burning into Caswell

h, but Cornelius squeez

ld man gasped out. "Not until you give

n shock. "Grandpa, that'

est heaved. The heart monitor beside the bed

ped Caswell's fingers tight. She shot him a despera

s shade of purple. He looked down at Athena's gripping fing

entence. He nodded once, a sha