ls and a private lake, it was beautiful, exclusive, and miles from anything useful. No buses ran through the area.

mstances, that mig

ldn't bring he

as in an unusu

ht red Mercedes pulled across the road

r's door

zed the man

Gal

rtun

rin, leaning against the

dn't a

idn't notice

sed you weren't ac

ar too pleas

ly been arranged with Rue in mind. The moment the DNA test results cam

the future bri

nly, his gaze lingering

as that she looke

more. No jewelry. No expensive handbag.

dn't

simplicity made h

ss, her features delicate without looking fragile. She looked like

n plenty of b

hem looke

lace in the Sterling family, he

rned, her situation on

ful family backing her. No fortune waiting

she'd realize s

ne li

ht made h

shaking his head. "You kn

most l

s lik

years acting like a dog that

been consistent about w

d by her silence, he

thing to me. Sure, Ariana's the one wearin

ared a

ually sound

ow the most im

wered h

I've cared about this whol

e it

ably rehearsed in

r she should be off

cide, Hans reached

I'll take care of you. You'll nev

d never

ght his

bli

he fr

ried pull

ng ha

ression

p felt li

t throug

the

ac

hard that his hea

e entire world s

turned bac

t was already forming

eased h

t l

were deliv

how made t

d at her i

he rag

k you can

ace t

nk you're still some

si

e w

continued. "Without the Sterlings, what are you? Nobody. Y

poke, the ang

topped making s

d out mo

this conversation ha

nly lunged

d aside ef

ation flickered

ied about the consequences of punch

o

re

rs and prepared to sol

uddenly interru

f them

the road like it had something

scre

and dove out

so close that he nearly fe

h you?" he shouted. "Are yo

r's door

man cli

dn't

him, grabbed him by the collar, and

ded with a si

lapsed b

ha

d punch c

wasn't a

," the man growled, hauling Han

d complete

hoved him

explain why you were t

fr

sis

e had an ol

information she'd received about the Blackwoods. She knew h

ew the

were very differ

akes off Hans was a compl

miliar stirred

rotecti

she'd learned that family loyal

g was tra

ing had

had reminded her that the Galloways were valuable busin

le question. He'd seen a man harassi

fighting

n t

ttempt en

ross the pavement looking like he'd los

ed forward and gr

ka

d ready to

she said. "Th

breath, th

y, he ste

ber she was standing there. Hi

you o

guard. He wasn't asking because he fel

m f

oked re

o

onds away from commit

s groaned and stru

already sw

ed like it had survived

e still hadn't l

, he snarled, "

si

hed repeatedly hadn't i

tinued, "you'll be

tely took a

jumped out

stumbled into his Mercedes, and sped a

ttled over

ed the car

e hit him

laug

urprised bo

ent, she nu

it go

lipped out

r

awkw

tu

oulders s

y so quickly it wa

.. emba

back a

dy walked over to the van an

d are waiti

ing the Sterling estate, Rue

erlings, these people

ed the back

her a slightly

. Let's