working on a particularly difficult installa

ntly, pushing her agai

lly about, Ava? T

gainst hers, a dom

ss, though a tremor ran through her. The pr

he could smell his skin, a sce

warred with the

hattering the mom

tantly composing him

Just dealing with a... complica

eassuring. "Of course, I'm look

e unreadable as he

or anything, Ava. My

ouldn't dream of it. Saint

om her words, a bitter

is." He dismissed her bitterness with a wave

lted Ava into attending the d

Charles was pompo

tained hands with disdain.

iating meal, Leo Maxwell a

a predatory gl

to their table, a

. Fancy meeti

oked from Leo to Ava

g. "Remember that night in my stud

on clear, a blatant lie

, disgust on his face. "I

kin on the table

resigned. Leo just grinned

ous. Her reputation

the French Quarter, the weight of her il

high-end je

window, sh

and

ghing, her han

ngagement ring. Much larger, more ostentatious than the

hand, admiring it,

an, a long, po

th catch. The wor

ruly moving on, build

of it was a c