n Adeline's forehead, tric

ot in one hand, exte

forward, placing a dagger in his palm-unshe

length of her calf. A cruel gleam lit his eyes, feeding off some perverse thrill. "I've never seen a woman's

prehend. Did he plan to carve her open while she was still alive? Her entire

mily home for the past five years, she had hea

, during one outing with his mother at the tender age of five, his mother

im, he'd transformed into a brutal figure in an illegal casin

en family, he hadn't exactly mellowed. In fact,

depths of his moral decay still went beyond her expectations. As the sole remaining member

ip held firm around her ankle, anchoring her in place. The only thin

eath the hem of her white dre

it hurt. She could barely breat

the air like a strike, halting the

his pocket. "Mr. Holden, your grandmother just called," he said evenly. "She demanded that you n

the woman who manipulated her way into my bed

momentary lapse, yanking her

off, and a blast of white light struc

But then, just faintly, she saw it. She saw a hazy outline of a

glimpse of his profile-sharp lines and harsh angles. She fought

Ruby Holden, Waylon's grandmother. "Mrs. Holden insists on holding

ken aback by the butler

ingers, his smirk slow and delibera

ack down. "Mr. Holden, I am obliged to deliver this message, even at the risk of my life," he said steadily.

face. He went completely still, h

ld me to show you this." He held up the phone, screen glow

screen, his expression harden

ly from the light, partly from what she'd just

pale mist. But even without a clear view, she still felt the weigh

but before she could move, a firm hand clamped around her

the bodyguards reacted swiftly, thrusting a trash bin

slowly slowed. Her visi

houldered at the limousine door. The very picture of authority. With

now. Though she felt like blinking to adjust to h

, smooth, and strangely compe