y's
the way my face shifted t
mistaking those sharp features, the unruly da
than he did on the front page of tabloid
nd took it, wiping under my eyes. The streak of m
t," he said, not teasing,
im, unsure ho
ft the country, he had a reputation that trai
his family. And our acquaintance? Shallow at best
told him goodn
drink. I hated how I felt, fexposed, raw, a
nd when the bartender set the dr
ith me,"
en shook my hea
't argue. He just nodded and took a sip of hi
on the counter, then started
didn't even know why. I just knew that for t
st walked together, until we reached a hid
r with a key card a
and the soft hum of something electrical. The windows w
more alcohol. He handed me a glass
e. His hand brushed my waist,
said quietly. "But if you want t
n't a
till in my hand, heart poun
who ran to another man-especially not her
just hurt.
mouth on her neck. The back seat of that
ht. For something sacred. And he ga
out revenge. It wasn'
ut taking control of something when everyth
ed at
tching me. Wait
e-it saw through me. And for once, I di
ass down. To
ped in and
hing like I imagined, not rushed, not rough. When I told him I wa
dn't
er and whispered,
. Thoughtful. Like he was giving me the space to
g shifted ha
eper, rougher. His body language
es, a gaze that pinned me in place. It was
like they wanted to mark me, claim me. And when
e air around him felt... off. He was still A
my thigh. In the way he leaned i
like
easure. But the shift in him was und
erstand what
The adrenaline? A
n, his body still tense. He looked at me like he hadn't ha
the room, it all felt... different. My skin prickled as he leaned
up, reaching for my cl
I said, keeping
t try to
rising and falling like he was trying to calm som
hands trembling slightl
urmured. "For
lowly, sayi
walked out
My heels clicked faintly against the pavement, and
red straight ahead, trying not t
impossibl
happen overnight, not with how tangled my finances were wi
sultations, move funds into a separate account, and contact a
The way he held me. The way his body felt against mine
ant to thi
The entire night came crashing down on me like a wave. My wedding. T
ow...
to wash
Not cool. Freezing. I stepped into the tub, still wearing my
a slap, shock
k, letting the water rush over my head. My e
it h
s husky voice in my ear. Helped drown t
ed at me, like I was something more
gasping for air. My teeth chattered. My han
sound. I hea
t have c