did hit harder tha

a lifeline. Her roommates were already gone: one working the early shift at a hospital; the other, for sure, still at he

The brain felt like it had done a

p. And she wa

l of her coffee. I said I wanted a fresh start. I di

ot tell anybody

bout the way he looked at her like he knew he

g cell

's outside;

ith annoyance, nerves, and something

dn't r

keup, and grabbed her bag; when she stepped outside into the waiti

tside the window f

music, and no

t this job she'd taken was

ready at his desk, hands busy hurrying ov

ded not t

late,"

utes," she

u don't get

part of the contra

heart was literally stopped by a blaz

discipline

e. "I'm not a sol

eral. And I don't keep people

ce passed. Aria

am I sti

k. "Because you're the first person who's

though her heart poun

unting

loaded in faster than she could ever clear. Aria pressed on, determinedly working non-stop,

wasn't mak

ything in that baritone commanding tone, she

hate

he li

is the

announced. Blonde and long-legged, she wore a r

er screen-and instant

se eyes toward Aria lik

you?" s

g tall to offer a handshake with

red her hand.

a

ch her eyes. "I'm Isabella. N

rity in the way she said h

stepped out of his office. His express

know you w

purred. "I thought

e herself when Niccolò's vo

here. Whatever you came to say, say it

arkened. "You're

coldly. "I'm c

urned stone to ash before striding ou

linked

ed at her. "

at you

before answering.

oing to murder m

"She would

to her desk, muttering, "So much for

-

ht, as usual. But these thoughts wer

ere fo

danger and desire and how qu

iccolo Moretti was: ruthles

e could feel is that fire threate

whispered: One night wasn'