he room was loud

mming where Xavier's mouth had marked her as if she were his. The room reeked of sex, sweat,

still warm

e was

no good-bye, no explanation. One minute he was inside her, making her fe

on the sheets where he had lai

ing wa

r with his mouth, his fingers, his body. He had held her after, kissed her so deeply she

phone v

once, and ever

jaw tightened. His body froze, a

stood up

't heard fro

rept into the office li

No makeup. Her vibrant colors had been replaced by a dull gray blazer that

... emp

Ava!" chimed th

nd nodded, but her

fool, jumping at every vibration that turned out to be an email or s

her up emotionally and

e wors

dea why it h

, barely. Yet somehow the man had gotten under her skin, into her h

ess

si

it was s

Damaged and gorgeous. He kissed like he had a million secrets a

ldn't get him o

e executive fl

office, her stomach tightened. Was he upstairs? Was he th

curiosity

or, hit the top floor

ked out into the wide, silent corridor filled w

is office. The

it, the laugh of a

ha

d to hear. She

ice sounded. Deep. S

hest

other woman to entertai

strode away, he

e could not st

after hours, when the floo

d her han

th

ked agai

l no

rning to leave, th

ere he

vi

n who had kissed her like

tie was missing, and the top few buttons of his shirt were undone, show

like he wasn't ce

va

t," she

cracked.

ng the door behind her. "T

ace, looking vi

't be here,"

mistake of sleeping with you? Or because y

nd his eyes softened with familiar desir

u acting as if I

that only a foot of

," he said, h

om

esit

"My br

d. "You never told m

on't. Not anymore. Damo

s went wi

faked his own death. He's been underground ever since. Run

ence pi

things?" she a

to look at her, h

life at all. Or experience falling in love

gu

s me back in. Wants me to remember who I was

re you,

ut when he turned back to her,

't worried about rules,

ing with shadows. "Someone who took

ge man entered. Tall. Wide. Dark-haired. Tattoos snaking up his ar

ed back r

ormed a slow, th

woman who's got

snarled, getting

reath h

r business," Xa

lied easily. He slid a man

spill

d at them

etting into her car. Le

from a distance

atter-of-fact. "The minute you to

lood ra

er, his face a mas

"I never meant for you

eered. "

va, "You really didn't think th

e he departed, he sa

o her, Xavier. Before som