t seemed to press down on the air itself. An undercurrent of danger simmered ben

e low and unmistakably sure.

l every inch of the room,

Nicole sealed her lips tight before admitting t

delicate, almost ethereal beauty-a sharp contrast to the wiry

the lines between vulnerability and ferocity. He found it nearly impossible to reconcile t

ocking tone, "Stepping in for your sister in an

wn her spine beneath the intensity of Aidan's presence. Since he'd enter

e thing was clear: the wolf attack hadn't been an accident.

man would orchestrate

rtain-Aidan wasn't in the

g around Nicole and jolting loose an old memory-a night five years ago, a faceless stranger,

nd with a subtle gesture, loosened her grip on the wolf. The beast

the tension. "Come," he ordered

ed to Aidan's side, settling at his feet with a soft whine. Trying to win his fav

ad morphed into a cowering pet at Aidan's command. She'd never im

t of the room, but not before pausing at the threshold to gl

dropped to a silken, frosty drawl. "The Wilsons spared no expense for that ten-million-do

re, tempting fate like that isn't wise. You're not going to d

nd his finger, his expression carved from ice, e

g magnetic in the restraint of his movements, a

ve. "I can tell from your appearance that you are poisoned. If you don't get prope

gh he were staring straight through her. Each word he ut

one unwavering, eyes flashing with convicti

derisive smile. "Look after me?

e, my mother will drag me straight back to a psychiatric ward. Help

"Do you have any idea what happened to the l

s she realized her words had crossed a line. But s

, without warning, his fingertips traced the line of

on a wedding night?" His voic

le's waist, his fingers skimming over

htened, every nerve in

aying she could stay, or was he about to claim

e you frightened now? Do you want to handle t