ella

ar, cornered and with no way out, finally

ning hand away and stormed tow

ench of his sweat overpowered his expensive cologne. "You are g

. He was clinging to the last shred of

The words slipped from my

t to be my husband

hed. This exact face, staring down at me, twisted with the same ugly rage. The phan

but felt in my marrow-rushed through my veins. But it didn't

just stared back at him with eyes like dead winter, letting him see th

rk that ignite

lumsy and vulgar. "If it weren't for the all

n one heartbeat and

ion. It was an in

y loud in the silent ro

ce of the blow. A bright red handprint blossome

oom f

ever stoic, showed a flicker of surprise in her cold eyes. The pampe

he'd been burned. He looked at me, his eyes wide with st

ng hand. The pain

e was

space, and lowered my voice to a

th a rage so profound it was almost cal

e understood the raw, murderous intent rad

posture once again

the room, my voice ringing with finality. "T

er son assaulted, transformed from a fri

she screamed, her voice cr

ered uselessly by the door, their faces pale and

"Get her! Grab this insane woman!

fe. On the other, the most lethal operative of the Valeriano family, wh

didn'

herself slightly in front of me. A silent, deadly promise.

e. The shame of being struck by a woman, by me, burned

he sofa, a forgotten prop in a pla

and felt nothing but contempt. Her threats

l thing, a wire pulled ta

rown open again, this time with a

ainst the afternoon light. He carried with h

ow, cold, and l

ee who's going