adiating off Chas, raising a trembling hand to

ago, sir. She went straight to the sec

hed his drenched c

oles leaving dark, watery footprints across the antique runner rugs.

condary bedroom, seized the polished brass

lt was loc

BANG

is fist against the solid wood, the thunderous impact

nd impenetrable si

the arched gallery windows, casting a ghostl

shouted, throwing the full weight of

ow, I swear not a single tech firm in M

lic click bro

lid back, and the heavy doo

tood in

ark hair cascaded over her thin shoulders, making her delica

nst her side. Her uninjured left hand rested against the doorframe, her ambe

voice flat and devoid of warmth. "

y private line? Who gave you

dripping, imposing frame forcing its way into t

ng back and struck the pla

r bruised lower back jarring hard against the edge o

l agreement," Gracie said, ste

l operational hours. You woke me up. If you have nothing substant

tonomy? An operat

ary. He closed the distance between them with two predatory strides

ced breath brushing against her forehead,

, when you crawled into my bed and manipulated my grandfather into sig

ly away, a faint, razor-sharp

mistook you for someone who once saved my

Chas like a sud

in his arrogant mind, she was simply mocking his l

cension. "You lived in opulence in this manor for two full years on Hamil

of submission, Chas reached out with his right h

exact center o

d right into the weeping, second-deg

arg

suppress the agonizing shri

c shock of pure torment screaming into her brain. Her knees gave

crimson liquid soaked rapidly through the white cotton sleeve of h

k stickiness seep inst

arp, coppery stench of fresh

recoiled as if he had

AC

illuminated the bedroom in

His palm was thickly coated in fresh, bright blood, tangle

r slender body trembling violently. Cold sweat poured down her t

physical agony, not a sin

ast the blood she had bitten into her own lip

to break into a woman's room in the middle of the night...

held no rage. T

ozen contempt-an icy disregard

to shake uncontrollably. He stared at his bloody palm, his th

deep voice cracking into a pathetic, trembling

t o

gany desk leg, forcing herself halfway uprigh

p into this room, I swear to God I will die right here on

his knees, wanted to scoop her up, wanted

finality in her eyes froz

e, terrifying disregard for her own survival. She truly did

sickening cramp seize

e jagged glass, draining every drop of color from his face. A c

and blinding physical pain, Chas

ing a waking nightmare, leaving the heavy waln

ment. She rested her forehead against the wood of the

t hand, she pulled open the mid

ers, pushed two pills into her mouth with trembling

at the minimalist wall calend

left hand, she crossed out another c

s rema