and a pain so deep it felt physical. She stared at Jude, searching

thing. Only

housekeeper, who had appeared silently in the doorway. "Mrs. Gable, prepare th

gh Joslyn's haze of pain. The south-fac

r be

rabbed his arm, her nails digging into the fine wool of

sent her stumbling backward, her hip colliding hard with the co

ng Leo behind her as if Joslyn w

r seen them. "There is no 'our' anymor

pulled out a folded document. He tossed it onto t

oice flat. "Sign it. You'll get the apartmen

er. The strength drained from her li

had it all planned. He'd co

threat. "Or you can refuse to sign. And you can walk out of

. The last embers of feeling

s were gone, replaced by an e

omething-annoyance? confusion?-crossed his face before

ause. She flipped to the last page and scrawled her name on the sign

nt back toward him. "

nsation that made the edges of his vision blur. A phantom scent of jasmine-her perfume-seemed to mock him. He balled his

ht," he said, his voice clipped. "

er look. She turned and walke

ned in, her voice a triumphant whisper.

e, her own voice just as low, but laced with steel. "Don't celebrat

ained from K

bedroom, a space she had filled with her personal touches, with b

mbness. She opened the walk-in closet and pulled out t

she owned before him. Everything he had ever bought her-the

and Kisha's soft, cooing voice directing the staff.

stood there, her face a carefully blank mask. "Sir

She dragged it behind her, out o

already playing the lady of the manor,

in a business call. It was as if she, and the li

, the wheels of her suitcase bumping against the