tt family

ru

n r

important: the Prescott

y po

old, as influent

Ethan's mother, li

eathed

cked Ethan's future w

m the Sterling

ct on

r the Pres

ott hated t

ike a chain ar

fled a family

he powerful, all th

the music and

, working-class

kside diner, l

was working t

ed, a re

with a q

of the harbor tuck

was

polish and ambition, fel

he next weeken

r dreams of marine

dmother,

a leaky roof on

lked fo

n love, har

Ethan, we're from

e. "You're my

her, Eleanor, he wouldn'

in a new Prescott-Ster

he declared. "

s face w

scott Sr. summoned Etha

was cold

anor stated, her voice low, dangerous.

silent, nodded. "It

allenged, his

nor said, her eyes like ice. "No mo

r... small towns can be unf

. Clear.

the walls

, her quiet strengt

t let them

rs streamed d

saw her

slightly. "Marry Victoria. Give us an heir. A Prescott he

?" Ethan

will... reconsider. Your relationship with Miss Miller... pe

of hope, a twi

ed he could outsmart them, p

, his face pale,

the ultimatum, abo

oice cracking. "Please, just wait. It'

heart sh

peration in his

him. She t

whispered, tears

ria Sterling in a q

not a

prawling Prescott e

a small, sterile apar

n. Is

ss and less. "Family

toria ga

rl.

Sarah, his s

llow. "They want to ensure Victoria is stable

ls of the apartment f

enough for El

coolly. "But the Prescott-Sterling alliance,

ssure m

anor reminded him, w

er in the web, fel

, his face etche

ded. "Then we'll be free. I swear

ven rarer. His excu

was pregn

arty was a grand affair

f longing for Sarah's simple hone

moment. Fro

her heart aching as she

suddenly broke out in hives,

s er

r, pointed a shaking finger at a distant, r

nor who stood beside her, a pillar of outrage. "

Victoria's sid

rious whisper. "What was that waitress

been brought back by security

Victoria's distress, the a

their power, their abi

't defe

n't. Or

said to Sarah, his voice cold, dist

wide with disbelief, with a pa

ith was a blad

young woman. You will have no further cont

ly shamed, effec

rom Ethan was

n his rare, bri

oided her eyes during their

aming by Elea

in the anonymity of the cit

s who tried to harm

thing to sto

n, his face a mask

oria, now carrying

ection, of love, felt lik

a crack i

profou

ay away," echo

accusing, were sear

family for her, who had pro

ranger who looked a

ifice" for what it was: a slow, painfu

ge, and the bars wer

de sure Sarah under

y subtly monitor

's private line of

him, his voice wa

was a threat to the Prescott-Ster

e kept away,

n its purpose, close

otos in soci

ctoria at ch

her hand resting on

n designer clothes, he

a happy, pe

of pain for Sarah, alone in

seemed to be buildin

reaction, Ethan's immediate

face a mask of concern for his

s the woman he loved, but as

t was a phy

elieved, on some level, that s

esence was a risk he wou

a simple si

's, her most cher

n, a link to a past

, desperate to plead her innocence about Li

trained, in a ste

"admired" the locket during a

e, his eyes avoiding

his voice flat. "She needs something to

et from Sarah's

it to

with Daniel, summoned Sarah to the

sekeeper, looked at Sarah w

se lounge, the epitome

d the silv

ia purred, her eyes glinting with triumph.

r growing family, about the

ah apologize for

nt, refusing to

sive gesture, "accident

ble floor and

n slithe

pieces of her mother's lock

e was a major Prescott

a scene, but to demand her broken locket back f

a quiet corridor. V

cket," Sarah said, h

ide with feigned alarm. "Yo

a, heavily pregnant, stumbled nea

g scream. "She pushed

the steps, clutc

toria's side, his f

Sr. appeared, thei

h a mixture of rage and fear. Fear for Victoria, for

, his voice raw. "

urity moved towards Sara

ed Sara

rom Vi

d, her head cracking a

oded behin

ulled her roughly to her feet and escorted her out

radling Victoria, his face contort