y. Edward Ashford was a man fashioned from stone, his presence an immobile force in the upper society of New

flicked up to meet his sight.

d too much time believing in illogical dreams. Married to

cold, merciless billionaire who used iron fists to build his empire. Their participation had been pl

worded pledges. Just a legal agreement tying her to a man who had

h a bland, businesslike attitude. "

ist another choice? Her father's eager gaze, the silent weight of the Ashford name, th

ied quickly, dark swas

ifling. The attorney nodded then

act is fi

the ground to move beneath her,

hin

s the door looking for the guy she h

Damon Black

r moane

d carried the weight

n cut jet-black hair framed a face made from harsh angles, cheekbones carved like stone, lips set in an incomp

e for a litt

breaking. Let's not preten

he words

cross her gown's silky sil

, a smile ghosted his lips. Good

nt rather than a bride, his eyes

embarrassment show. At least you could

of emotion. I squander ti

s speech was devoid of hatred, of cruelt

pretending." She faked a grin, cool and practice

mething unreadable blazing b

d then, ju

r. The ceremony gets underway

s presence hanging like a ghos

something in

Not quite

e silent, br

said in a whisper.

rdly even lo

. Damon, across from her, exuded measured grace. Perfect bl

tering vows that ought to have significance. But the words fel

answered with ev

op. Then, like the wo

ed heavy and

d, "Seal the vowe

s breath

, but in cold necessity, Damon le

r cheek, he said, "Don'

ht of the diamond ring on her finger seemed more than it had hours ago. She had spent the past hour be

ow, any

the ridiculousness of the event. Maybe he would let himself smile, one just for

oor closed n

rned from curdled

s broken b

swallowed down the anxieties, and polished the lace on her go

Young, restless

, her words just audible above

gers clenched around it. The handwriting

ived. Avoid w

t came t

he sensed the change in the a

nst the clean paper, Lillian's voic

e had envisione

ectation Damon may at least admit her presence. That h

her with sil

ane, but her fingers slipped. She laughed, bitter and silen

alive, the television screen showed breaking news

h became

ed back in a leather booth, a whisky glass in ha

amon but a

n dress that hung to every curve and tilted

ed over in h

ght her lips twisting into a smile; her wo

tracing Damon's sleeve. She assume