u not to f

us didn't flinch. He leaned against the hallway wall like he owned the building

punch it o

rprised to see

part of this.

ll had leverage. "I wasn't part of it, Lucien, until I found out you made her y

ld bankrupt your entire

You like your toys beautifu

o the

th it. "You marrying Ivy Monroe makes me nervous. And when I get nervous, I start talking to

"Threats are b

. You marry her and I go public with what re

s your

you wa

he had just disappeared into. "You st

ink you're fiv

think.

ould have picked any woman in this city and had them signed and sealed b

meant it when

u on?" He asked, h

makes he

I stepped around him and opened the door to the suite aga

wyers to sit

ot listen

ding behind people who can spell. The Verona deal is buried, and

aw tw

my buildin

be b

make it pas

o hear. The second the elevator doors c

cted. "He followed her. She doesn't know yet. Ma

erst

alked back into

rus. Warm, real, nothing like the polished socia

didn't want and s

o you," Julian sai

're

e in d

. I swirled the

case on the marble counter, and flipped it open. "Bo

ll sa

u s

n the bar. "She'll say yes because she's sca

a billion-dollar

r pain being stron

nced. "Th

s ho

e you're not enjoying th

I finished the drink i

a risk," he s

sitting in that chair across the

ood at playing the villain, Lucien. But this time, your pawn ha

en it's a good thin

orning, sh

every right to be there and dropped the signe

about this

ask me that. Not

lipped through the pages. "You

ink it wou

've asked

ms. "I'm not greed

wn wing. Staff. Dri

. I'm not parading around in designer g

in

switched. The hospital s

dy han

ed. "You

te. I had time

ng to see through me. I stared bac

e whole wedding t

y. Small. Cle

, fake dress,

nding things don't hu

ooked

back ou

back. "You

N

ending you're d

how you s

nd you as the knife I had

show on my face. S

vy

sed at

ngs, house walkthrough, interviews with the s

never the problem. It's surviving

he was

nature on paper and a war

d in tha

efused help carrying her single suitcase. Ignored

onaire cliché," she said, flipping t

to wear wh

o stay out of

use went

own the hall to my of

nt out of this,

ady tol

ress. Yeah, I know all that. But w

th my hand

k I'm lyi

u're lying

pped

're starting to so

owing who I just signed my life aw

d you that yo

you're full

ay

k. "This whole

ere yo

Here

w bedroom, then paused at the do

uld be outside the suit

e was ans

But you never warned me about the p

e disappeared into the bed

ave time to ch

hone lit up

was

wasn't

in a dar

had a hand a