ore her, an iron fortr

d the strap of her bag. The air was thick with unspoken te

igned the

sealed h

he was

nothing on the dri

too exhausted to

by time and discipline, stepped aside, ush

s glowed above her, casting golden light against the towering bookshelves, the gr

n't bel

ever

hout looking back. "You'l

lowed hard

ot of the stairs. T

've alwa

felt like a

ridor, past doors that like

suite, Belle hesitated

s too grand

rge. The windows s

sn't

utifully dec

nd the door clicke

xhaled

n, ignoring the way

ng slipped un

no

mach cl

hesitating befo

, the handwriting s

the wor

n t

eath h

ORE IT'S

ipped from

pulse th

wanted h

re willing

rtbeat refu

er palm, the words s

ORE IT'S

be a tric

war

t about to fi

amed at her,

grabbed her bag. She h

hed floors as she slipped out of the room,

ere dimly lit,

elt too loud

taircase, her heart pou

stopp

s were just a

ed into t

fr

stood at

it

sta

breath

n't su

en expect

is stance was relaxed, but the inte

it came, was q

ot going

ed on her bag. "You

ssion did

tch

, made a r

dn't g

, her body colliding a

ed. Fought. C

dn't

off the ground like

ath coming in ragge

barely

is grip tightening just enough

went

the doors shutting behind

't going

toni

ev

h came fast,

as tr

ai

ied her back into the ma

them, sealing her fate in po

dn't let go

commanding, not pai

need to re

ce alone w

legs wobbled beneath her, her bo

hose

ved against h

you think you a

r barel

e, terrifyingly in contro

t heaved. Sh

ht her. Furious that he

furious that part of he

uld hav

scaping Alista

teeth. "You can'

ead slightly, as if c

curled into som

murmured.

ran down

her fists. "Y

ckled, low a

id, stepping close

stif

g, scanning her, dissect

ct," he reminded her

omach

ong to you,"

d sharply, his

rds were ca

nds entire

s hand

e words settled ov

no pow

es. No

t h

on made her c

aze flickering down to where her

he s

berate, infu

stomach

could feel the heat of his body,

lower, a whisper

see abo

d her, sinking beneath

wallowe

hate

wer. His ability to make he

ost o

her wasn't sure if she eve

of place where deals were made in whi

ed fingers tapping against a crystal wine glass. Her posture was rela

hidden by the shadows cast by the flickering candlelight. He wasn'

ne lazy flick of his wrist. "Alistair's marriage to that woman is all o

e didn't

expect

prepared

he silence stretch just long enough for hi

able," she mused. "But it'

ntrol this? He's married now. To her." His voic

gers tightened

hadn't p

n a footnote. A one-night mist

e had becom

d. "That child

d sharply. "No

aning forward just enough for he

never lo

an bl

ce remained smo

ruin eve

nce settled

g moment before speaking. "And

her head, her exp

she

ate was silent in

e this large wasn't p

learned th

, blankets too soft, room too cold, wall

hen,

nse. Da

owly, her pul

e hallway, muffled but

omeon

bed, careful to keep

r, pressing her back aga

a mistake,

. Cold.

stomach

Kensi

ir's m

ruthless. The kind of woman who could ruin so

me next, low and ed

your conce

cern when you threw away decades

throat w

e

s the

vangeline Sterling. To unite our families. Not to, " A pause, as if the words

ls bit into

ouldn'

e sting of those word

she

e after a long pause

n't abou

e st

in, her bre

he words th

ut Belle. This is

left h

, her heartbeat ro

shuffle

o move before shadows p

r was l

er her mouth, trying to

had

e she ha

it, hearing

f, as if she could physically hold

idn't care

the

always b

d

ew she alwa

didn't

n broke, the sky turning sof

use wa

her, there

r a moment, that maybe, just maybe,

n an obl

ol

a hand against her stomach. H

hing b

k at t

stif

ened withou

sta

n-black suit, his expression unre

didn't

't s

mply w

d over her face, lingeri

r seen her

wasn't b

s hard

iet," he f

studying him. "What wou

r's jaw

ind his eyes, but it wa

lay game

umorless laugh. "That's

rled into fist

was." His voice wa

s ches

e only

whispered.

ir between them, an invisi

a slow, measur

didn't

ers brushing a stray str

should have

it w

s a c

to a whisper, his breath

mine,

rtbeat

's gaze

don't

breath

d have pu

uld hav

, she s

swore to herself tha

sure she