la, Dylan Carter could

ted him i

line, routine, and emotional distance. He attended galas because business demanded it, smiled

some

returning to

nversations. Unlike every other woman at the gala, Cate looked painfully out of place there. Not uncomfortable exactly. Just... uninterested in pretending. While elit

she caught

flirtatiously like

er eyes suspic

was the s

o

made him s

eside him and looked deeply ente

ok away from Ca

motionally

obser

to his drink. "Th

ed toward her best friend Joyce with gro

er champagne glass. "O

e? He looks like he's

an before squealing quietly. "Cate... that man hasn't volun

ed. "Maybe he's still

h absolute certainty. "Th

led Cate far more

unfortun

d to know

t was d

dange

d city lights while luxury cars lined the entrance outside. Cate quietly exhaled in relief w

another rich people

ause she was too busy staring to

owned.

ds away from faint

te panicked

she t

fr

d near the exit w

casu

ntio

ir suddenly felt

emotionally. "Okay bye, I sudden

OY

la

ppeared into the

dered foll

ed walking toward her bef

spread instantly through the crowd because Dylan Carter di

ed her embarrassingly f

front of her, she realized

re attractive out

More real. Da

uiet seconds

er calmly and said, "Y

inked.

llroom for twent

le

ete s

slowly. "That is ho

ifted faintly. "You're ex

have found th

ye

ly before asking, "Do you al

o you always interrogate

N

e you interr

pa

lmly, h

nted another

t her harder

illionaire charm. J

some

far more

, a female voice suddenly

yl

eared from Dylan'

tur

understood tro

black dress, her expression calm but her eyes fixed s

and asked the question that made

g to introduce m

Whitmore looked a

moved silently

t it imm

ious ho

rs

ed hos

lthy women m

oled noticeably, and somehow that alone

portant enough

motio

oric

ate didn't fully

ion unsettled

the entrance. Every movement about her looked expensive and practiced. Unlike Cate, who suddenly felt painfull

e turned fla

ant curiosity that somehow felt insulting. "You disappeared with her during ha

tely underst

n knew Dy

cognize unusual b

ed her hand toward Cat

politely. "C

softly, smiling witho

she said it made Cate'

was ashamed of

sa clearly believ

notice

he calmly stepped slightly closer beside

tec

iced THAT i

udden

rp flashed th

rest

inter

lan said quietly to Cate, com

e sudden shift back to her.

s mouth almost lifte

red at him

ever adjusted conversations a

y to Cate Sullivan like the re

ightened subtly aro

erself," she murmured lightly.

ere shifted

confused by the sudden

pression harde

he said

legant eyebrow innoc

w exactl

ain around the entrance. Something clearly existed beneath this c

humiliated a woman publicly last week and now the media is convinced y

roze s

humiliate

ely looked tow

d explain. "Sophia Laurent practically propos

ht in Cate's ch

yone knew So

gazine cover royalty. The kind of wom

ing Cate absorb the information. "Poor thing

ortable twisted

lousy e

sudden a

s Dylan

ophia. Women

ticated women who understo

ur hospital shifts and sometime

ce suddenly

exact second she e

o

erything abou

d quietly, danger

d stunned for

use of t

e of t

d chosen

lic

ai

owly looke

miled

ld

e careful, Mi

e the growing discomfort

d briefly toward Dylan

im don't fa

led heavily

toward her waiting car,

she looked at Dylan one l

other alread

t like

away int

n with one terrifying realization

y didn't

some

ady wante