Ashfo

my face. I took a deep breath of air that didn't smell of antis

screen remained black. The fall, or maybe t

at bay came crashing down. My leg throbbed, my head pounded, and my body felt like

h a dead phone and a ten-

never fe

ack cars was gliding to a silent stop in front of me. The lead car

ad to be Ethan. He'd

aybach lowered, and the face

h kind eyes that were currently fille

ce. The man who had raised

and his voice was a

composure I had so carefully constructed. The strength that had

y face. All the pain, the fear, the betraya

ed out his name, and tha

ilored suit jacket, a piece of clothing that cost more than the car I'd arrived in, and draped it over m

he bruise blooming on my cheek, the heavy cast on my leg. A muscl

hat happened. H

opened h

held me tight, his hand stroking my hair, murmuring reassuran

protection, was the one thing in the world that could break me. The tensi

d him cry out as

, no

the scene unfold. She swirled a glass of red wine, a smug smile on

he powerful, impeccably dressed man

try whose face occasionally graced the cover of Forbes. I

ne, her smile turning in

. "Already found a new sugar daddy, have

king for a new host. The thought filled her with scorn

in the back of the Maybach, coveri

t the grand mansion. His gaze was cold, sharp, and utterly ruthle

ho stood silently by. "And the market analysis divi

e assistant replied,

The vehicle pulled away from the c

his expression a mixture of profoun

d into the quiet of the car. "You