aid, her voice tight. She pulled her arm f

e they were gone, Aliana turned to face the man who called himself Ryan Burton. She

y hint of deception. "There have to be a million wome

ely contradicted his supposed station in life. "My family is... traditional. They won't be put off by a

und. "That's the most ridic

between them. He was so close she could feel the heat radiating from h

ht. About the way you felt in my arms. About the sounds you made." He paused, letting the words sink in, watching the flush creep up her ne

with unwelcome clarity. She forced herself to meet his gaze, refusing to let him see how deeply h

said, his voice dropping even lowe

ing of his words. The memory of the blood on the sheets-her blood-flash

s just an act for your family, we don't need

t has to be legal to be believable." He paused, letting the silence stretch

hem?" she ask

tel is zoned for Northgate Elementary.

drug activity. It was every parent's worst nightmare. The fear for

artment he's not using. It's in the Riverside Point district. Top-rated schools in t

the last vestiges of her self-preservation screamed at her to be

showed her a PDF of a corporate housing agreement. It looked completely legiti

ouldn't meet his eyes, focusing instead on a crack in the pavement. "During this... marri

th the memory of the hotel room. S

I will not touch you without your explicit permission." He cleared his throa

is expression was impassive, but s

r now. "The money. It's a loan. I'll write yo

eadable in his eyes-was it respect? Pity? He

her. "How do I know you're not s

and pulled out his Hays Global employee ID badge, the only genuine piece of identification he carried. "Ryan Burton," he said. "Administrative Assistant. You can verify my employmen

It was him. The name matched what he'd t

ny car service handles most of my transportati

e story was thin, but it held together just e

ing lot, and she shivered, suddenly

d it over her shoulders. It was heavy and warm, and it smelled of him-

around her. She looked over at the window of the motel room, where

It was all

s gaze. "I'll do it," she said, the words tas