ainst the wall holding a glass of water he hadn't even bothered to sip. Dark as a winter's night, his

Light and unburdened by the weight Alex had already put on her shoulders, her laughter

the fabric of his existence. He had not anticipated her to influence him so profoundly. He had to

n her father, Stuart St. Clair. A decade of unrelenting will to avenge the devastation of his family, his name, and his

piece. Her being, her presence in his world, in this hospital, was not only bothersome. It served as

e grumbled, his grip on

y crept into his head: he was beginning to que

orning. Alex Blackwood's presence had been like an electric charge in the air, his coldness almost emanating f

d not resist the draw. She knew it was absurd. She was only attempting to

ng her back to him. His words, his look, the

tify. He was not just another powerful, chilly man in a suit. Lurki

he attempted to focus on the pile of papers before her. Sharp and piercin

en in him for a fleeting second, like a glimmer of something human beneath the arm

ront of her, where the envelope sh

But as she lifted it, a wave of anxiety swept over her. With a

names were known, some not. The shadows behind the smiles in the photographs, however, really drew her attention. The males i

t seeing, she could sense the passion coming off of him. He was not

ice scraping across

em? His statements were sharp, insistent. He didn

slowly to face him. Narrowing his gaze, he examined h

e letter. The unsettling sensation

aught midway between dread and uncertain

ete. She had no clue what Alex meant. His

hing thus far. You will, though. His voice was low, almost like a warning. Meli

rasting sharply with the turmoil inside Alex. Julian was a clever, quick, tactical guy

m Alex and whispered quiet

, the amber liquid spinning under their grip. He was too pre

" The name was a reminder of the work he had put

served Alex's reaction to Melissa's presence: sharp,

ng too close to this, Alex." Your fixation on her...

He shot Julian a look, cold, nearly scornful. You don't get it. She is

u are allowing this to devour you. And if yo

rdly registered, he could hear Julian's remarks. Revenge was a drive, a never-ending thirst gnawing at him. Melissa

the glass, "I'll do whatever it takes

the table, causing the noise

worry and wariness in his gaze. Al

, his face frigid and reso

or years, and Melissa understood that expression. It was the same expression Victoria gave her a

" Victoria spoke quietly and tentatively. Leaning

t, the draw to Alex Blackwood was clear. His coldness and intensi

e idea, "I don't know." "It's just...

ed, her face darkening. "Th

, Melissa frowned.

se whether to speak more. Melissa, there's something wrong with hi

Alex's gaze and the way he treated everyone with seeming superiority. But it was more than just that. Something else lay under the sur

" she responded, her vo

yes looking, nearly begging, Melissa