Wall

my portfolio digging into my shoulder. As I passed the city' s most exclusive jewelry district

e in Cartier, standing at a private

beaming, turning her hand this way and that, admiring the sparkle. "Put it

nful knot, he slid it onto her finger. He did it without a single ounce of hesit

eak. It plummeted into a

wavering support, of secret, hopeless pining. And it had all been eras

. Her smile tightened, and a flash of pure venom crossed her

we should get a little something for Chloe, too," she said loudly, her voice dri

beamed. "That' s a

made a quick excuse and dragged Holden out of the store, her grip on his arm like a vic

hissed, her face inches from mine, her sweet fac

my numb fingers, crashing to the ground

I whispered, the words feeli

oss her face. "Yes. And you can be my maid of hono

es went dark and fuzzy, and a dull,

choked out, the words

o the twilight. I stood in that alley for a long time, t

iet. The city sounds

the silence. A man stumbled out of the shadows, reekin

but my legs felt like they were filled wi

slurred, his eyes, dark and predatory, fixi

gh my stupor. I scrambled backwards, my

from me!"

other arm wrapping around my waist like a band of st

ed, his foul breath hot against my ear. "

hard. He roared in pain, his grip loosening for a fraction

ing my head back with brutal force. My vision exploded i

flickered through the darkness. A figure. A man' s

y from her!"

re was on