s squeaking against the hardwood. She should turn a

broken expression kep

empty glass like it held answers. The wh

u to leave," he said

ped into the room.

hurled it across the room. It shattered agains

tter?" Amara asked quietly.

ey-brown eyes stared at him intently. There was something about her gaze. It had

d she think of him as a madman or a poor soul? He p

fically

ntly. "But I can't lea

enom. "I want to be alone, and I don't need someone I sign monthly chec

ood. So here I am, offering company you don't want and no, I won't get out." Her tone was

ve you suddenly gone ma

oving past to start

uttered, stumbling as he tried to take the

n, Roman. You're more dangerous than this broken

to the couch. He collapsed into it, dazed. Part of him wonder

..dangerous time. He looked like a wreck. Drinking in the middle of the night, lashing out... if the me

being here even

er finger, he was on his feet instantly. "You're hurt,"

d brought her finger to his lips. He looked into her eyes

a ga

ught between shock and som

second, he forgot she was his assistant. She was just a woman standing clos

Not about Amara, the brilliant and composed, off-limits Am

nd back. "It's not that

sed. But Roman wasn't fooled. She

You're being stub

pping closer. "But you don't ge

rom me, Amara?" he

a few feet away.

o face her. The anguish in his eyes made her

softly. "But that does

n hardening. "You don't understand.

ryone is broken in some way. Th

but instead, he sighed and leaned back against t

ng this?" he ask

her guard. "Because I care. W

. And for a moment, the st

e it," he said,

her hand on his arm. "Maybe no

elt charged. Roman's control, already weakened b

voice lacked conviction. "Before

e wh

ips parted slightly. At the pulse beating at her t

ou right now," he said, his voice low and da

candalized, and should walk away. Inst

, not sure if it was a w

brushing her cheek. "Tell me to s

ords woul