ly

a fiery, unde

hands fisted in the delicate silk at my b

nst his hard body, eras

taking complete control

nd intoxicating, like expen

oom. Julian had crushed a heavy crystal tumbler in his bare hand; bl

menacing step into the aisle as if to rip me from Jasper's arms, bu

uld read the venomous shap

are you doing?"

per's broad shoulder, catchi

perfect

d?" I asked, questioning his ex

twin from across the hu

quiet warning that carri

ster-in-law now

r with the respect

thumb and wiped my smeared li

his skin while maintaining d

ed bloodshot with

rd his suit jacket, re

draw his gun, Vane

m, digging her manicure

ol. The allied Bosses and corrupt pol

ian scanned the

ealized a public brawl would fracture the B

othly cover

voice for the fr

ther's union," Vanessa claimed, flashing a brilliant, f

ckly stepped in to

ans to play and the e

s, Julian shot Jasper a look th

ipped away from the

t, guarded corridors t

h, I heard the sound of shattering gla

through

tered a crystal tumb

ew up and sliced a thin l

aced a slow path down the

ly take the vows!" Julian barked,

were not supposed

od complet

his cheek with his thumb, stari

the Syndicate would look we

a war with th

er by the lapels of

teal Lily," Julian accused, h

oved him

for Europe tonigh

It is a suicide run, and you wil

his chest wi

Heir! Lily is

dread tightening in my stomach so profoundly it f

erstood the u

that whoever marries me se

d what I had always fea

he crown that c

od from his face, I flashed back t

had been ambushed

nt of me, taking a brutal blad

s thought i

the way he stood and the way he mo

who had bled f

twisted sense of obligation I thoug

door, my mind racing wit

a covert call to arrange a priv

not waste myself on pleasantries. I laid before him the raw truth of his son's tawdry wager, of his plan to abandon the Family's sacred vows for a street-level fancy. In return for his blessing, I offered

in the heavily gu

sofa, sipping a glass of vintage

hogany door

epped int

direct order t

oor behind him

nvited, holdin

r and took the gl

dn't

fixed entirely on the r

t was cry

glass down

wn and captu

ed completely, I pulle

t bridal suite, I whis

father. The Don knows about the

er f

make a better Don than

my hair. Not with sh

playing chess

r on his jaw. "I've be

mine again, and the c

living room until my back met the silk sheets of a

where, possessing ev

nt of no return, Jas

re trembling w

ver me, his

r demanded, his

know whose b

gged my nails lightl

," I whispered ag

husb

ng growl ripped

his, sealing our bond

l image from my nightmare surfac

ulders. The desperat

sp

lways be