engagement party

bed. It was a deep emerald green, Jaylah's signature color. A de

he silk was cold

onversation. Floyd found her at the top of the stair

nce it," he said. A com

. They descended the grand staircase into a sea of faces. Elize

a white gown. She raised her champagne glas

t of quiet, she slippe

't alone

ng of j

, with dark hair and startlingly intelligent eyes. She realized with a jolt that she'd seen him before, in

d. "Just gett

a long way down." He smiled, a kind, easy smil

Floyd called her name, h

you are. We're c

A flicker of possessive anger crossed his face. He didn't remember K

d to her, isn't he? Still keeping her around. I heard he's setting

age. That was his fina

d's. Floyd pulled his arm away from Elizebeth and wrapped it

old, indifferent stars, didn

terrace, carrying the first drops of a

guiding her inside. He glanced back at Elizebeth, an

to the sky, letting the cold rain fall o

oice quiet but firm.

e of concern for her and his duty to his new fiancée.

. She was no longer his to protect. The rain was washing aw

ter, she thought. I ca