ark spots dancing across her vision, her hands still

snapped, her words slurring

low, gravelly sound slipped ou

the same thing,

kind of quiet, absolute authority that made

fr

hne forced

charcoal bespoke three-piece suit cut with surgical precision. Above a razor-sharp jawline and high cheekbones sat a pair of eyes as dark and impenetrab

nn

lcohol in her bloodstream in

five minutes ago. He was holding a lowball glass of neat bourbon in hi

ing into her space until she was completely trapped between

nths?" he

were practically an exhale, but they

ed in sheer, una

hea

in the corridor

e entirely deserting her. She pressed her back flat against the co

ished leather toe of his Oxford shoe gen

on glinted in the dim light. The watch alone cost m

wn to the trembling hollow of her throat, and back up to her wide, amber eyes. A tiny, mo

r it. Every survival instinct she had inherited from her mother screamed at her to

r haze of terror and intoxication. "It was a joke

of bourbon to his lips, took a slow, measur

reath washing over her cheek-warm, smelling of oak and liqu

d with such absolute, predatory calm, se

f your mind,"

lder with all the s

rply. Taking advantage of the brief opening, Daphne ducked under his ar

ea of the restroom entirely, practically s

s glass again, his thumb slowly stroking the cold, condensation-slick rim of the tum

ounge, her chest heaving as if sh

from the booth. "What happened to y

owned it in three massive gulps, spilling half of it dow

ed, grabbing her trench coat fr

setting her drink down. "What i

king. "Bennet is here. In the hal

"Wait-what? The whole

in her hands. "I'm going to throw myself into the Ea

ed grin was spreading across her face. "That

ou think yo

ced through the jazz music fr

e turned to s

had in the hallway. Slowly, dreading every mi

of antiseptic and rain. He stood six-foot-three, with silver-threaded dark hair cut into

side his coat pocket, his index finger

m Pa

aminer for the C

terrifying, merci