e had forced her to take Alessia's place after her cousin refused to ma

tammered, the words lost betw

leaving his face. He looked at her with such raw conte

egnant wife, Pamela, had carved out his heart, leaving behind a cruel,

er measure

talking about? Was he talking about her

embling. "I swear it. No one tried to decei

ruggling to face him. Her mind raced, scram

at happened, the fate awaiting her-and everyone else-would be terrible. Everyone knew the po

our word worth? Your life is a pathetic joke. Someone with your past isn't f

e paused with his hand on the knob

better disappear-you and every trace of your ridiculous

t catch her breath. She couldn't leave. He couldn't throw

he could not afford to fail. Her family's company was bank

knees at his feet. He thought her proud, conceited? She had never bee

ou need me to be. I'll do anything you ask. I'll stay out of your way. You won't even have to see me unless you command it. It's an arranged marriage anyway. Does

on Benedict's face told her

a unique disgust. She had no spine. Her groveling repulsed him. For a fleeting moment, he'd thought she might

nt, he grabbed her by the wri

A sharp jolt of pain shot through her, jarring but bearable

eyes that were tearing her apart. The blue eyes of the man who was now her husband

hers. His cologne, the sheer heat of his presence-it was all suffoc

only ten minutes ago have

limp at her sides as his hand closed

hers she could feel the heat of his skin. His whisky-laced breath m

do... a

whisper, forced past the ti

l her breath. Her face flushed a deep, suffocating red. The

the bed and shoved her down onto the m

ing to do anythi

ly manage a faint

do exactly as I say. You will be at my beck and c

ingle finger

st. But the weight above her vanished. A moment late