to a torrential downpour. The lock on apartmen

her breathing slow and measured,

air shifted instantly, heavy with the scent of high-end Cuban cigars, peaty Scotch, and

owing it over the lone wooden chair

dsome features were tight with exhaustion, but his eyes burned with an unsettling, fev

l look as untouched as the day I dragged you from the surf. Keep stay

s teeth ground together s

led his encrypted company smartphone from his pocket and set it face-u

en lit up with a s

e natural, drowsy clumsiness of someone waking from deep sleep. Her

d a message from a conta

0 AM sharp, hubby. Don't be late. Dad wants to review

rs. Hubby. Pre

ash of irritation flickered across his face before he looked down at Brynn,

ntly into the darkness. "Did your phone

d smoothly, tossing the phone onto the desk. He leaned over, att

oming up to touch his collar. "Armond.

d-air, his dark eyes narrowing into

he hospital came back with the police, and because I don't have our certificate, they arrested me for v

annoyance and suspicion. He grabbed her wrists

rk burned in the shelter fire. Why are you obse

anted to

l, authoritarian temper beneath. "You have me! I feed you, I clothe you, I protect you from a

ess cr

rough the air like

nished. Sitting up straight against the headboard, she reached out, her

he sudden shift in her body l

la

g tap water struck Arm

the

ater dripping from his slicked-back hair. But before he could wipe his eyes,

AC

echoed through the thi

t split the corner of his lip, sending a thin spray of blood

ry that Armond had never heard before. "You reek of expensive cigars and cheap lies. You tell me you're breaki

chest heaving with murderous disbelief. For a second, the pr

her against the headboard. "Do you have any idea who you're

ssy, and completely detached, letting tears stre

ting cold beans while you reek of another woman! If you want to kill

al form. The raw, desperate jealousy in her

d, replaced once again by the towerin

h. She just smelled Chelsi's perfume. She's throwing

ir. He looked down at the blood on his fingers, a twisted, sick sense of

its patronizing, velvet purr. "I had to drive an heiress and her drunken friends arou

er shoulders shaking violently. Armon

lips were curled into a r

blind.