d from my shoulder, too big, sof

tel room around me silent save for the dull buz

was open

vy paper. Shar

s bold at

greement: Twelve Mo

augh. It broke in the

f romance?" I grumbl

e bathroom do

ng his hair, naked a

gerous muscle draped across a physique meant t

tare withou

romance,"

surv

opposite me, a lazy s

tated, his voice silky as scotch. "Ev

rs as if we were discussing dinner plans

l team, 24/7 protection, full custody leverage

ked a

a

o

e more it became clear

" I said

elbows resting on the

oman I've ever seen," he s

k harder than t

n't sure if I could keep

lling, I grabb

s have m

rds were

the renta

min

ve imme

d elimin

and smothering. I

Silent. Patient. Like a hunter watch

u're saving m

grin. Did

" he

aponizi

ed a thin leather ca

e pictur

a senator at a poor

ts. Offshor

a beneficiary for a trus

tody because he love

nds to combat the

her up. Tie you

ain. Nothing is fix

of all, I b

eleasing a breath of

t protecti

cont

d not d

t apol

a storm in a suit, b

d, his voice as hard as steel. "Si

ir grinding hard

me," I said,

er. Towering.

s is about con

edge between us, barely visible,

power. "And

nned s

have

ned into min

shed his voice l

ake it

fice had glass,

ole, feeling li

d men and women with wic

tes, Ellis' lawyer

with the custody emergency, we will pr

ing up my phone fi

oc

le

, if onl

ffice, the wind hitting m

his pockets, and his eyes turned u

to him as she went, "She'

s, a frightening spark of som

o

p back was razo

f, my thro

rs on the driving wheel, f

nally mumbled, my voice

d, looking a

ow to make yo

d think, argu

caught in

clashed

er

ish

ath

ed him

oment, I let g

Pride.

hed him aw

macke

echoed wit

d. Low. D

lips twisting into a smile that

room expecting

red less

ing had b

e no longer

crushed to bits on

have bee

were c

e I was the

ruins, shaking so hard that

Ellis' ac

cust

co

king

ng my

ng my

me since that night,

Loud.

the final forced s

phone

t su

y custod

hou

ole's apartment, I w

ter. No

har

he paper on

d not

d not

trust you

't lik

sed m

'll us

curved not a

," he

remem

ropped to a

es." "M

pity in th

mises

t the ra

ign

ed like bloo

as a sword, and

om

aus

half-s

I too

lift at the far

ed gold trim, and glass walls tha

shut with a g

ws drawing rough lines over

behind," he urged, hi

now, you

t the video straight to Ellis' privat

ttle has j

t the only one wit