BENEATH EMPIRE

forced smile, every glance that skimmed past he

lashy enough to post about, and just safe enough to ignore afterward. Her nonprofit, Hart to Heart, had been "invited" for optics-

hate

osely over one shoulder. She clutched a glass of sparkling water like it w

n, she

lden chandeliers and shadowed

possible

e kind of presence that demanded attention without ever asking for it. His gaze

eyes l

or a m

.. surpris

t his gaze locked on her. Not even when a blonde socialite

forced smile, every glance that skimmed past he

y Gala was exactly what she had

polished marble step, every forced smile, eve

Elliot Blackwell, approaching with that air of polishe

I'll be there in a minute." Elliot looked over

who's

could answer,

doesn't need

. Elliot's smile never to

lked

reath. "Wow. That

eat. "That was polite. You sho

him in public lik

said. "You must be

herself, and Adrian'

e barely above a whisper, lik

ed, matching his tone. Then s

a Ha

hit him like a sl

, and everything about

your la

a bl

ar

his mouth.

of si

dangerous, unreadable. "Ni

deep down, Layla knew-someth

hesitation in his tone when he repeated her

dn't been watching. "No," he said smoothly. "Just... familiar. There's a Ha

Maybe. It's not exact

to her present. Her father's legacy was a shadow she had spent most of her life running from. One careless whisper

t

was a new stillness in him, as if he'd catalog

with... people. But if you're up for pretending this eve

smiled a bit. "Is that you

ing lik

the door. Then ba

ian Blackwell

ballroom. "There's a balcony thro

only a second

the applaud of glasses coming from inside. Layla enjoyed the peaceful breeze on her skin and let out a happy sigh. Adrian stood next to

r at him."Then

. Family duty. All

m fully. "And are you a

eel like I was born in a cage with soft walls." That was

"I know a thing or two about cages.

really looked this tim

he wasn't sure what to say. A part of her wanted to just come out and be

time, "maybe I should just walk away from all this." "So why not?" he replied. "Because

ed her more t

't sure who'd ge

d

ldn't

ment, watching the city lights down. It was almost 2 AM, bu

la

topped him in his tracks. It was the fire behind her smile, the way she didn't flinch when he looked at her

rse, made him

clung to him now like s

ell family's grip on the East Coast market. Thomas Hart-a once-promising executive-had

Hart shows up

cide

believe

believe her presence tonight was innocent. That she wasn't playing a game. But he'd spent his en

something real. Vulnerability, maybe. Curiosity. And the way she'd said she

hell d

son in years who made him fee

made her

marble nightstand. One

ed it,

close to. The sins of the

tomach tur

ture. No

ehow...

wasn'

just be