, was an alien sound in the opulent, tension-fi

t a strangled cry and lunged for Elara, her perfect

le screaming in protest, but she didn't falter. She kept her

Parkway, Car

loud of fury. He finally und

m in two long strides. He ripped the phone from her hand, his f

ended was more terrif

ou have any idea what you've just done?" h

hing. "I know exactly what I'm d

burn down the Carlisle name for your pathetic, little-girl sense of honor? Th

The truth didn't matter to him. Only appearances. Onl

her voice cold and sharp. "And if you have nothi

began to panic. She tugged on Julian's sleeve, her voice a frightened whine. "Julian, I... I d

o distance herself from

elf to regain control. He was a businessman. He so

shifting. The raw anger was gone, re

to happen. You are going to admit that you were playing a foolish prank. That you

way to save them all from embar

ugh for you to get a nice apartment anywhere in the city, to live comfortably. You t

The final, u

ity. He truly believed her integrity, her very sense of self, was a commod

nger or even sadness. She felt a

r head, a small, sa

Julian," she sai

m her, the woman he thought he controlled

you say?"

lmly took her shattered phone back from h

he cracked screen, hov

e said, her voice deceptively gentle, "I'll d

he realized what she was about to

was t

ready pres

of a bridge being burned. A declaration of war. She was showing them that when you pu