na's

r curtains, brushing against Ariana's bare skin.

ht was n

e faint bruises and tender soreness all over her body-evi

d her hea

her, his back broad and bare beneath the silk sheets. He lay still,

d it all. In flas

The way her soaked dress clung to her skin. His hand

even aske

n't wan

ulated, every breath measured. Her body scream

olded on a nearby chair. Her clothes-cleaned, pressed-hung o

ad shown her... something.

look back at hi

ke. She didn't want questions. She didn't want his voice. She didn't w

till pretendi

nd cruel in its weight-and tucked it into her purse. Her fingers trembl

ater, the wind hit her bare face and her eyes

thing felt... smaller. Colde

stepping into the shower, and scrubbing herself r

her work email, type

k Leave Requ

e taking a week of medical leave startin

end, then shu

ndering how she had gotten here-how the girl who once believed in fairytales

even know

idn't kn

ey would neve

-

en's

ckwood sti

ed in a way it hadn't been in years. The fa

he thought h

turned, the

. Her robe gone.

d-faint and unmistakable-a

dragging a hand

goodbye. No question.

silence. Cole stepped in, holding two co

e l

ed. "Before

d. "She sa

d her. The way she shook beneath him. The way she moaned. The

he table. "You still

No clue.

en. It wasn't normal. The way she looked.

e dropped. "And I was t

rossed a line, but you didn't prey on her. You r

as a v

he room. Even C

n said tightly. "Not u

nd her? Dig through hotel footage, gu

indow, jaw locked. A wa

lly-he sho

N

N

oice. She didn't want to b

ee. Not entirel

u s

er might still be out there. But she didn't co

counter before tucking it in her purse. He'd seen

in with a sapphire st

e h

Damien muttered. "And

idn't

. fate never listened t

ories lik

-