Ivy spread her ha

time. The exa

herself. He never did. He made me have N

Evan said. "Th

" Dominic said.

d something about an OR, and th

just the t

Ivy fluttered her lashes, frowned as if she we

rce stood o

ck hair. Black suit. Black eyes that never warmed for anyone. He had been running Pierce Holdings since he was

im, he had been screami

d closed ar

ntil tears bu

said. It was

rt wouldn't. The concrete basement under the lake house, where he had locked her for four days with no heat and no light after she tried to run. The leather be

e inside her whimpered. I can

little boy crawling

do any

et her voice shake

rom her jaw dow

was a reminder. His thumb pre

you think a little tumble down the stairs would get rid

hen she did the thing she had rehearsed a hundred time

d laid her palm a

ered. "Why are yo

complete

i

four years into her last life, he had come home drunk on the anniversary, sat on the floor of her dark ro

ver dared

ed it hit him

off his face. "Wh

urt and confused. "You told me to call you tha

ut

d, and your mother couldn't stop us." She pushed h

n him, Dominic Pierce looked like a m

eyes we

d around her t

"Marry you? Your mother killed my father. You're here t

in front of her eyes. "Nico... please.

let

p at him again, she let all of it show. Hurt. Be

mind?" she rasped. "I

tually laughed. "

ot pregnant, you'd marry me! Now I'm carrying your baby and you want hi

aw fl

said, every word slow and clear. "

ers. "Let me be clear. I'm keeping this child so I can make y

't say a

l, her bottom lip shaking, her jaw locked

seen it once or twice before, on rare

her. The cellar. The cold. The hunger. And sh

e was

a

er stomach, and slowly, a cold, sati

at. Turns out this kid is go

oes tha

his cuffs. "I'm starting to loo

oor s

her eyes fall shut. Her back was soa

yes again, there were

t of gentle questions. What year was it? Who was the President? Did she remem

d smiled. "He's going to marry me. Why do

lounge next door. Old hospitals had thin walls,

ed by the head injury. Her memory has reorganized itself around a safer story. In her m

ing it," D

e put her through. The cellar? The burns

le

cerned about her,"

! Look, she's pregnant. Be gentle with

rd Dominic in the hallway, l

randmother. I

himed and swal

ood turn

an