esture was protective, but there was nothing soft about the way he

Jennings, "a small operation like Hayes C

m went

es Corp spans construction, pharmaceuticals, and media. Our a

the hell do you think you are? What, are you

t need the Hayes family," he said, his voice carrying a quie

ark of laughter. "How? By wishing

rley said evenly. "That's

her chest. She straightened her

said, each word clear and deliber

mlessly from quiet authority to polite respect. He gave a slight nod, a g

visibly struggling to process. "That's i

ley. Then, slowly, a new expression s

ng him for a while, haven't you? That's why you kept putting me off. You wer

er arm through his. "You saw him yeste

rley. "You actually brought the ditch digger with you? Did you rent h

g her handkerchief to her chest as if she

t this... this trash out of my house! Now!" he

and a slow, cold smile touched his lips. It wasn't a friendly smile.

suit jacket. With deliberate, unhurried move

was the marriage license from City Ha

y in the middle of the antique coffee table, a

dangerously low pitch, "Adelaide and I are legally husband an

or the paper, snatching it off the table. His eyes scanned the document, his knuck

scaped his lips. He crushed the

then at the imposing stranger standing beside her. He made a choking

down at the stunned, silent room, at her gasping father and her furious e