life and death, an image su

man whose cold presence could freeze a boardroom. But the way he had looked at her was anything but cold. It was a l

outside the burning warehouse. A roar of pure anguish that didn't belong to the controlled, em

nsciousness finally gave way, si

t, insistent glow pressing against

e Foster estate. She shot up, her heart hammering against her ribs. She look

lock on her nightstand glowed with the date. It was a week

d come

llision that sent a spike of pain through her skull. She stumbled into the adjoining bathroom and stared chimn

asn't a dream. She was real. She was back. The relief was

ity counter. The screen lit up with a

s De

sal of marriage. Consumed by her love for Ethan and repulsed by what she saw as Hayes's suf

cage and more like a shield. The memory of his anguished scream e

she picked up the

d-deep, controlled, yet with an underc

t was a command. A plea

er lungs. She closed her eyes, and with a voice hoarse with tears and a thi

es

It stretched for a full ten seconds. When he finally spoke, the engineered c

ugh it sounded dangerously close to

bright. "I said yes, Hayes. I want to b

gh cutting through his words. "Is this a new game to protect your precious Ethan? Because let me warn you-even if this i

"It's not a lie," she whispered, her voice trembling with the ghost of a thousand

a fierce, possessive finality. "You are mi

d, her voice gaining strength. "I

cker emerged from the back seat. He was taller than she remembered, dressed in a perfectly tailored dark suit that seemed to absorb the m

d screamed her name outside a burning building. The man who had offere

athing, and alive-unmarred by the horrific flames of her past life-sent a painful throb through h

hem. She didn't care about decorum or the sharp, calculating look in his eyes. She reached ou

into the dark depths of his gaze. "I'm not g

ntensity that bordered on manic. "I love you so damn much, Aria," he muttered, his voice dropping to a harsh, broken whisper. "And you've alw

ed her arms around his neck,

d second chances. A promise. A declar