g with every step along the dimly lit, vintage hallway. Her ruined dres

lanced back at her. "You'll find fresh cloth

preciation with a sub

s fading until she was alone with her unease. She stared at the door,

elvet drapes, dark paneled walls, a vast bed, and, just off to the side, a walk-in closet lined with pristine white shirts

was trespassing. Evelina froze on the threshold,

e you planning to stand there in that filthy

ognized the man's unmistakable voice from that night. Instinct

rom head to toe. For a split second their gazes collided, and all color dra

ling face to her stomach. His jaw tightened, an unreadable storm flickering

ly stare back, confusion

ind her. The difference in their height made her attempts to resist feel almost laughable. She twiste

circled her waist, effortlessly lifting her o

ing her in, his gaze boring into her soul. "Ar

he implication dawned on her. She shot Andreas a fierce

lent defiance. He dug his thumb into the delicate bones of

with the sticky reek of

ling to the bathroom. Gripping the edge of the sink, Evelina

her. The truth was plain-he remembered clearly that neither of them

seeking the comfort of a cigarette. Catching sight of her

te." His voice was cool, almost detached. "Don't think you can us

bothering to mention that a strange illness

hard expression reflected in the mirror. His earlier questio

e, and signed her response. "I'm not pregnant, and I

don't know sign language, and I don't care. Don't think you can trap me

red Erick's careless remarks-about the stack

ney, slept with him, then played th

rce his hand with another calculated scheme. To Andreas, it all r

ted herself at the desk, every line of her posture radiating focus as she wrote. "Don't worr

ontrast to her delicate frame. Andreas lingered for a moment, his eyes flick

ked it into the trash. "Fresh clothes are on the bed

d prolonging her misery. She waited until the door clicked s

ad someone bring back a dress from a boutique. The dress, though simple in design, was crafted from immaculate silk and tailored to perfec

n her arms and immediately noticed Andreas stationed by the w

ring between his fingers, exhali

ther. He watched her in silence, each drag of his cigarette punctuating the tension in

's shadowy light. The elegant line of her neck and the neat, low ponytail fram

rve of her waist, and finally to the delicate arch of her ankles. Unsettle

assionate night. He couldn't help but picture the way her damp lashes had flutt

int ache where she'd bitten his shoulder, the scent of her breath

an standing before him blurring into the haunting memory o

After that incident, he had kept his distance from intimacy,

y fall of her hair to the delicate curve of her

opping it carelessly into a

almost mocking amusement. "What are yo

hether to explain she was her

wave, voice flat with annoyance. "Spare me the sign lang

eyes swept down to her belly, cold and dis

ce without drawing attention, trailing